A dedicated Instagram app for the iPad is reportedly on track for release later this year, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Development is progressing “full steam ahead,” with some Meta employees already testing the app internally.
Instagram first launched as an iOS app in 2010 and was acquired by Meta (then Facebook) in 2012. While Facebook quickly developed an iPad app in 2011, Instagram has notably lacked one — a gap largely attributed to concerns over image aspect ratios and quality.
Previously, Instagram focused on squarish images, and Meta was unsure how they would display on the iPad’s larger, rectangular screen. Additionally, since many photos come from smartphones, there were worries that the lower resolution would look worse on the iPad’s bigger display.
Why the App is Finally Coming
Since those early concerns, Instagram and smartphone technology have evolved significantly. The app now supports a wide range of aspect ratios, and smartphone cameras produce much higher-quality images. Gurman says, “The dream of an iPad-optimized Instagram experience is finally close to becoming a reality.”
The development of the Instagram iPad app was first reported in April, amid growing uncertainty about TikTok’s future. At that time, no release date was announced. Now, Instagram is poised to become the second major Meta app to launch on iPad in 2025, following WhatsApp’s debut last week. Meta’s Threads app, however, still lacks a dedicated iPad version.
Author’s Opinion
The arrival of an official Instagram app for iPad feels overdue. With so many users engaging on tablets and the platform’s visual content demanding a quality viewing experience, Meta’s delay has been frustrating. The improvements in smartphone camera quality and Instagram’s flexible aspect ratios now make it possible to deliver a polished app. This release should help Instagram better compete with other social media apps that have offered optimized tablet experiences for years.
Featured image credit: Needpix
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