Meta Brings Long-Awaited Instagram App to iPad with Reels-First Design
Instagram has finally released a native app for the iPad, marking a long-awaited move by Meta. The new app, which arrives on the heels of a dedicated WhatsApp app for the tablet, is designed to optimise the experience for a larger screen with a significant focus on short-form video content.
Upon opening the application, users are immediately directed to the Reels feature, a strategic decision by Instagram to align with how people currently consume media on bigger displays. While Reels take a prominent position, Stories remain easily accessible at the top of the interface, providing quick access to content from followed accounts.
The app also introduces a new “Following” tab, which is organised into three distinct categories to help users better manage their feeds. The “All” section displays a mix of recommended content from accounts the user follows, while the “Friends” section is dedicated to content from accounts that follow the user back. For those who prefer to see content in the order it was posted, the “Latest” category provides a reverse chronological view.
The design has been meticulously optimised to leverage the iPad’s larger screen real estate. This includes the ability to view messages and notifications simultaneously, with the app displaying both tabs on screen at once. Furthermore, when watching Reels, users can now expand the comments section without minimising the video, ensuring the clip remains at full size for an uninterrupted viewing experience.
The Instagram for iPad app is now available for download from the App Store for all iPad models running on iPadOS 15.1 or a later version. While the new design is currently exclusive to Apple’s tablet, Instagram has confirmed that a similar optimised app is “coming soon” for Android tablets, though an exact release date was not provided.
