Tumblr brings native iPad, iPad mini support with updated iOS app

Tumblr's update iOS app now offers native iPad support. | Source: Tumblr via the App Store

Tumblr on Wednesday rolled out its long-awaited official iPad app, bringing native big-screen support and exclusive user interface features to owners of Apple's tablets.

After years of waiting, Tumblr has finally rolled out an official iPad app, allowing users access to the microblogging platform without having to go through a web client.

The iPad app brings the same iOS-native capabilities as the revamped iPhone and iPod touch version released in November, facilitating faster loading times and quick navigation through a customized UI. In comparison to the web client as accessed through mobile Safari, the app is noticeably more responsive and easy to use.

Taking advantage of the iPad's screen real estate, Tumblr added in a few iPad-only UI tweaks like support for landscape viewing and a radial menu for making posts that pops out from the sidebar.

Tumblr developer Bryan Irace told The Verge that the iPad-centric app took only weeks to build as much of the hard lifting is done by the rebuilt code released in November.

The updated universal Tumblr app with iPad support can be downloaded for free from the App Store.