The Instagram team is known for being a little late in introducing new iOS features. And while many users are constantly asking for an iPad app, Instagram has decided to give its iOS users something extra: App Clip.
App Clip coming soon to Instagram for iOS
Version 319.0.2 of the Instagram app, available to beta testers through TestFlight, introduces App Clip. For those unfamiliar, Apple describes an App Clip as “a small part of an app that lets you quickly complete a task, such as renting a bike, paying for parking, or ordering food.” In other words, it's like a mini-app that you can try out without downloading the full version of the app.
As for the Instagram Clip app, it allows users to watch a short Reels video. platform built into the main Instagram application. Similar to TikTok's App Clip, Instagram's version will allow users to watch a video in the app's native interface, even if they don't have Instagram installed.
For example, if someone iMessages you with a link to an Instagram video, it will open in the clip application rather than the default web browser. Users can keep scrolling to see other popular videos and even click to share a particular video with others. After watching about six videos, App Clip prompts the user to download Instagram to continue watching videos.
This feature is definitely a nice addition to the Instagram app for iOS. Last year, Instagram introduced Live Activity support so users could see the progress of a new post or story when switching to another app. However, it's sad to see that developing an iPad app isn't a priority for the Instagram team (and that includes Threads).
There's no word on exactly when the App Clip update will be publicly available. You can download Instagram for free on the App Store.
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