iPad App for Instagram Still Unavailable, But Web Interface Has Improved
Instagram is used by many people, but despite this, the company still won’t make an app for iPad, as reported by The Verge. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri expressed that this is not the company’s top priority.
That may be the case, but reports say that Instagram for the web is getting a better user interface. It now features a navigation sidebar, which leads to pages like Search, Explores, Messages, and Notifications, as opposed to unlabeled buttons.
This is somewhat similar to Twitter’s layout, and users will be informed of the buttons’ purposes. Instagram Web will also have options to access settings and saved posts, and users will be able to switch accounts through the “More” menu.
Meta spokeswoman Christine Pai said they are working on ways to improve Instagram’s web experience. They’ve made updates to Instagram.com, including improvements to navigation, an improved video experience, and a more immersive way to DM.
Why is there no app for Instagram on the iPad?
According to a report by MakeUseOf, not enough people use the app on the iPad to make it a priority. Marquez Brownlee, an American YouTuber, responded by saying that if there was an app, more people would use it.
Missouri responded with three points. First, he noted that each level adds overhead. They support iOS, Android, www, and IG Lite, and Android is the biggest among them. Second, TikTok and YouTube are behemoths, and people share more in messages than in stories or feeds. Third, the company is leaner than you (Brownlee) think.
Even though people prefer to take and post photos using their smartphones, there is still a matter of just browsing. It’s best to view photos or videos on a larger screen. With that in mind, it doesn’t make much sense that there still won’t be an app released for the iPad.
Abundance of iPads
IDC, a market research firm, shows that Apple shipped about 17.5 million iPads in the fourth quarter of 2021. Which is 38% of the market share. Apple reported that it had more than 1.6 billion active devices, and more than a billion of them were iPhones. Android, on the other hand, has three billion active devices.
Even if iPads sell a lot, that’s still small compared to the more than four billion devices that have app access. This may explain why the company is prioritizing an app already available on some devices.
Alternatives to the app
Not having an app for your iPad can be frustrating, but users can do the next best thing. This is a solution that does not rely on their party apps. You can do this by adding Instagram’s web app to your home screen, as suggested by Switch on iPad.
First, go to your favorite web browser and search for instagram.com. Log in and press the Share button in your browser, and tap Add to Home Screen. Next, you need to name the icon, but don’t change the URL. After that, you will have an Instagram icon on your home screen.
Once you tap on the icon, you will have to log in again. You can scroll through your feed, view stories, send direct messages, and like and comment. However, this hack has limitations. You will not be able to post photos.
