Why is @media handheld not a reliable solution for mobile CSS?

Adjusting CSS for Mobile Devices: Understanding @media handheld Limitations

When attempting to customize CSS specifically for mobile browsers like iPhone and Android, it's essential to be aware of the limitations of @media handheld. While this media query type has been used in the past, it's not universally supported on mobile devices, particularly those with advanced display capabilities.

To achieve the desired effect, consider alternative approaches:

Using @media Screen Queries

Instead of @media handheld, employ @media screen queries. These queries enable you to target devices based on specific screen characteristics, such as resolution and device width. For example, to style a webpage for an iPhone:

@media screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
  body {
    color: red;
  }
}

Leveraging CSS Feature Queries

Alternatively, CSS feature queries can be used to detect specific browser capabilities. For instance, to verify if media queries are supported:

@supports (media) {
  /* Styles to be applied if media queries are supported */
}

Targeting Device Resolution

To target devices with specific resolutions, @media queries can be combined with the resolution media feature:

@media screen and (max-device-width: 480px) and (resolution: 163dpi) {
  body {
    color: blue;
  }
}

Further Resources

• [W3C Candidate Recommendation for Media Queries](https://www.w3.org/TR/css3-mediaqueries/)
• [Apple's Mobile Webkit Developer Guide](https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/AppleApplications/Reference/SafariWebContent/GettingStarted/GettingStarted.html)
• [A List Apart: Designing for Multiple Viewports](https://alistapart.com/article/viewports)

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