Meta reportedly testing long-awaited Instagram app for iPad

After years of anticipation and user frustration, it appears that Meta is finally moving forward with the development of a native Instagram app for iPad. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, the company is actively testing the application internally, with development reportedly progressing at full speed. If all goes according to plan, Gurman suggests the app could be released before the end of the year.

The news has reignited interest among iPad users, many of whom have been waiting for over a decade for this integration. Instagram, launched in 2010, is nearing its 15th anniversary this October. Meanwhile, the iPad marked its own 15-year milestone in April. Despite this long overlap, Meta has never released a dedicated iPad version of Instagram, forcing users to rely on an enlarged iPhone app or the web version — both of which have been widely criticized for offering a subpar user experience.

Meta’s reluctance to embrace the iPad platform has long puzzled users. While the company released a Facebook app for iPad in 2011, Instagram remained conspicuously absent from the tablet space. This stance was underlined by Mark Zuckerberg’s initial dismissiveness toward the iPad, which he reportedly referred to as "just a computer," suggesting that users should simply access Facebook through their browsers.

Over time, however, user expectations and market conditions have shifted. The iPad has become a staple in millions of households, especially among creators and media consumers — key demographics for Instagram. Despite this, Instagram’s leadership repeatedly cited practical limitations as the main barrier. Concerns ranged from how square or low-resolution images would scale on a larger display to limited engineering resources and the relatively small size of the iPad user base, as highlighted by Instagram head Adam Mosseri.

Now, with Meta finally rolling out a native iPad version of WhatsApp this past May, the move to develop Instagram for the same platform seems like a logical next step. Gurman points to technological advancements as a major factor, suggesting that earlier challenges related to image quality and interface scaling have largely been resolved. The underlying infrastructure, he notes, has "now caught up," removing some of the last technical excuses for the app’s absence.

The timing also reflects broader strategic shifts at Meta. As the company faces increasing pressure to enhance user engagement and compete across platforms, ensuring a consistent experience across devices — including tablets — has become more important than ever. With iPads continuing to serve as versatile tools for both casual and professional use, leaving such a large user segment with an inferior app experience no longer aligns with Meta’s long-term goals.

Whether the rumored release does indeed arrive by the end of 2025 remains to be seen. Still, this latest development is the most concrete indication yet that Meta is ready to close one of the longest-standing gaps in its app ecosystem. If delivered, a native Instagram app for iPad would mark a significant milestone for the platform and offer long-awaited relief to users tired of workarounds and limited functionality.

For now, all eyes remain on Meta as users wait for what could be one of the most overdue app launches in recent memory.