Meta has spent 15 years shunning the iPad. Now it seems the company’s finally ready to embrace tablet lovers.
WhatsApp users can text from the big screen at last. On Tuesday, Meta announced that the popular messaging app is available on iPadOS devices, including expanded features for multitasking. Meanwhile, reports indicate that Meta is finally building Instagram for the iPad as well.
It’s a curious time to embrace tablets. While still a high-volume sales item, the iPad is losing its popularity. The device has endured a yearslong backslide in growth, comprising only 6.8% of Apple’s revenue in 2024, compared with the boom of more than 15% in the early 2010s. Still, an iPad expansion opens Meta apps up to a broader swath of consumers.
WhatsApp has been mobile-first since its 2009 launch. Meta purchased the app for $19 billion in 2014, mostly leaving it alone to rake in revenue from its then 600 million active users. That number now sits closer to 3 billion, a rival to Facebook and beating out Instagram. (Meta doesn’t split their revenue reports by app, but experts estimate that WhatsApp now generates nearly $20 billion annually.) Recently, though, Meta has been taking a more active role in WhatsApp’s development. They added messaging functions like emoji reactions, built access via Mac and Windows computers, and broke down privacy barriers by tying WhatsApp to other Meta properties.
