After several rumours, the new redesigned Instagram app for iPad has finally been launched. The new app brings Reels to a bigger screen, a dedicated Following tab, and new layouts designed to make connecting and catching up easier than ever, said the company.
Redesigned Viewing Experience
The iPad app places a strong emphasis on content consumption. Upon opening the app, users will be taken directly to the Reels section. Stories are displayed at the top of the screen, and direct messages are accessible with a single tap.
Introduction of a “Following” Tab
A new “Following” tab has been added to the iPad version of the app. This feature provides multiple options for viewing content from followed accounts:
- All: Recommended posts and Reels from followed accounts.
- Friends: Recommended posts and Reels from accounts that both the user follows and that follow the user back.
- Latest: A chronological feed of posts and Reels from followed accounts, with the most recent content appearing first.
Users can choose the order in which these feeds are displayed.
Optimized for Tablet Use
The app’s design takes advantage of the larger iPad screen to integrate more features into a single view. Users can now view both messages and notifications simultaneously. When viewing Reels, comments can be expanded while the video remains at full size.
Download
The new Instagram app is now being rolled out globally for iPad models running iPadOS 15.1 or later. It is available as a free download from the App Store. An equivalent tablet design for Android is also stated to be in development.
View this post on Instagram
Regarding this, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, said:
We’re bringing Instagram to iPad. I’m really excited about this one because we took the time to design for the bigger screen. You’ll see all the parts of the Instagram you know, but we’ve taken advantage of the extra space to make Reels more prominent, and built a following tab so you can easily stay on top of all the posts from the people you follow.