- Instagram has launched a dedicated iPad app after 15 years of requests.
- The app defaults to Reels, underscoring Meta’s commitment to short-form video.
- A new Following tab offers All, Friends, and Latest (chronological) views.
- Larger screen design includes split-screen messaging and side-by-side comments.
- Strategic timing reflects TikTok competition and growing tablet usage.
After 15 years of waiting, the long-requested app launches with short-form video prioritized as Meta doubles down on TikTok competition.
After more than a decade of user demand, Instagram has finally released a dedicated iPad app. The launch represents one of the platform’s most requested updates, addressing years of frustration from users who were forced to rely on the iPhone version or the web app.
What Meta has delivered, however, is not just a bigger-screen adaptation — it is a redesign that signals the company’s strategic focus on short-form video.
The iPad version defaults to Reels upon opening, immediately emphasizing Instagram’s commitment to competing with TikTok in the battle for attention and cultural influence. By anchoring the experience around Reels, Meta is positioning the iPad not simply as another screen, but as an entertainment-first environment optimized for lean-back consumption.
Why Meta Changed Course
Meta executives, including Instagram head Adam Mosseri, previously downplayed the importance of building an iPad app, suggesting the audience size did not justify the investment. But the context has shifted dramatically.
The potential U.S. restrictions on TikTok and the broader surge in short-form video consumption altered the calculus. Tablets have also become more entrenched in households, particularly among younger users who treat them as primary entertainment hubs.
This convergence of regulatory pressure, audience behavior, and competitive urgency helps explain why Meta finally prioritized an iPad build. The decision underscores how competition with TikTok continues to influence nearly every product move Instagram makes.
Key Features of the iPad Experience
The iPad app retains all the expected Instagram functions but introduces several design changes tailored to larger displays.
- Reels-Centric Entry Point: The default screen is a Reels feed, putting video discovery front and center.
- New Following Tab: Users can filter posts through “All” (recommended posts from followed accounts), “Friends” (mutuals only), and “Latest” (chronological). The ability to reorder feeds gives users more control over what surfaces first.
- Split-Screen Messaging and Notifications: Direct messages and notifications can be viewed alongside other activity, improving multitasking efficiency.
- Expanded Reels Layout: Comments can be displayed beside full-size videos, reducing friction between engagement and viewing.
Together, these adjustments reflect a clear intent: to make Instagram on iPad feel like both a social platform and an entertainment platform built for extended viewing sessions.
Strategic Implications for Meta
The launch of Instagram for iPad extends beyond a long-overdue user experience fix. Strategically, it solidifies Meta’s dominance in the short-form video category at a time when TikTok’s position is under scrutiny in several markets. By integrating Reels so prominently into a new device environment, Instagram gains another surface for content distribution, potentially boosting watch time and ad revenue.
Moreover, this launch opens new opportunities for creators. The iPad format could make Instagram more appealing for video editing, content management, and extended engagement, strengthening its ecosystem in ways that differentiate it from TikTok and YouTube Shorts.
A Pivotal Move in the Platform Wars
The arrival of Instagram on iPad is more than a quality-of-life update for users. It signals Meta’s broader strategy: lean deeper into Reels, maximize short-form video consumption, and seize ground left vulnerable by TikTok’s regulatory challenges.
By finally listening to its audience while simultaneously reinforcing its competitive priorities, Meta has positioned Instagram’s iPad app as both a response to consumer demand and a calculated move in the ongoing platform wars.
