Instagram’s CEO has made it clear that an iPad app isn’t a huge priority for the company, but at least it’s doing something to improve the big screen experience. Some people, including a few members of The edge‘s staff, have started to notice a slightly redesigned version of Instagram for the web, with a navigation sidebar with links to pages such as search, explore, posts and notifications instead of the top as unlabeled buttons.
The design is relatively similar to how Twitter is laid out and certainly seems more at home on a larger screen – you get more information about what the buttons are and what they do, and the options for accessing settings, your saved messages or the ability to switch accounts. has been moved to a “more” menu instead of being hidden under your profile picture.
The update includes better navigation and videos, as well as “immersive” DMing
Not everyone has the new user interface yet, but a statement to The edge from Meta spokesperson Christine Pai makes it seem like the change is more than a test. Pai wrote: “We are always working on ways to improve the Instagram.com web experience for people. We recently made updates to modernize Instagram.com, including improving navigation, optimizing the video experience, and introducing a more immersive way to DM.”
Of course, this isn’t quite the same as having a dedicated app designed specifically for tablets, but it seems like a step in the right direction. Instagram has been slowly and steadily improving the web experience, and the addition of larger and clearer touch/click targets will likely be welcomed by anyone who needs to interact with the desktop site.
