Snapchat is officially launching native support for the iPad, the company announced in the app's latest release notes. Since Snapchat's launch in 2011, the social networking app has only been available on the iPad as an iPhone app with a large black border around it, rather than a native app for the iPad's larger screen.
The new update brings support for iPad, 13 years after Snapchat was released on iOS.
“Snapchat now offers native support for iPad,” the App Store release notes state simply, “which means Snapchat now appears full screen on your iPad, giving you a larger canvas when taking Snaps and allowing you to see more of your friends on the second and fourth tabs.”
The new app improves accessibility on the iPad while also acting as a testing ground for new features, letting users try out its tools, AR experiences, and AI on a larger screen. It's unclear why Snap waited until now to bring the app to the iPad, and the company hasn't said whether it will offer new experiences to iPad users.
Unfortunately, the new app is not yet fully optimized for tablets and can only run in portrait mode, not landscape mode.
The release of the native app comes as TikTok released an update last year designed to take advantage of larger screens like iPads and tablets. The update allowed users to use the app in landscape orientation and navigate the app more easily. Releasing native support for iPads could position Snapchat to compete with TikTok and draw attention to TikTok's rival Spotlight.
It's also worth noting that Instagram has yet to release a native iPad app, giving Snapchat and TikTok a slight competitive advantage over the Meta-owned platform.