Instagram, owned by Meta, initially launched as an iPhone app. While the social media platform offers separate apps for Android and web use, it notably lacks a dedicated app for iPads. In contrast, Instagram does have a dedicated version for Android tablets. However, there are reportedly no intentions from the Mark Zuckerberg-led social media company to optimize the platform for iPads.
As reported by 9to5Mac, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri has reiterated that developing an iPad app is not a top priority for him. Consequently, iPad users anticipating an iPadOS version of the app will have to exercise patience.
The perspective of the Instagram CEO
During an Instagram Stories Q&A session, Mosseri was asked if the company had intentions to create a specialized app for iPad users. In response, the Instagram CEO mentioned that he is presently not actively engaged in any such project.
Mosseri acknowledged that having an iPad app could be advantageous in the future but emphasized that, currently, he considers other new features to be of greater importance. Consequently, Instagram is less inclined to prioritize an iPad-specific layout update.
Responding to a 2022 post shared by YouTuber Marques Brownlee, Mosseri mentioned that the user base accessing Instagram via iPad is “still not sufficiently large to be a top priority.” He indicated that a dedicated Instagram app for iPads is planned for the future but also highlighted that his team is currently highly focused on other initiatives.
Why Instagram doesn’t have concerns regarding an iPad app
In contrast, iPads boast a notably smaller user base when compared to iPhones. According to IDC data for the second quarter of 2023, Apple shipped over 42 million iPhone units, while iPad shipments amounted to only 10 million units during the same period.
It’s worth noting that other Meta platforms like Facebook already offer dedicated apps for iPadOS. Instagram, as a platform, is particularly well-suited for iPhones due to their superior camera capabilities. Nonetheless, the introduction of a dedicated iPad app is anticipated to enhance the user experience by enabling users to view photos and videos on a larger screen.
Similar to Instagram, Meta’s recently introduced microblogging platform, Threads, does not offer an iPadOS version, restricting user interactions with these newer social media platforms. In August, Meta addressed this limitation by launching a web version of Threads, which is compatible with desktops and tablets.
