Device independence and the Web

Device manufacturers, users, and authors have differing needs and expectations when it comes to Web content. Web software and hardware manufacturers naturally try to differentiate their products by supporting a special combination of capabilities, but few can expect Web authors to create content for their product alone. Users, however, do expect to access the same content from any device with similar capabilities. Even when device capabilities differ, users might still want access to an adapted version of the content. Due to device differences, the adaptation might not produce an identical presentation, but device-independence principles suggest it should be sufficiently functional to let users interact with it successfully. Web application authors cannot afford to create multiple content versions for each of the growing range of device types. Authors would rather create their content once, and adapt it to different devices-but they also want to retain control of presentation quality. Device independence is about trying to satisfy these differing needs, spanning the delivery path between author and user by way of diverse manufacturers' devices. The field's continued evolution within the broader Web standards framework aims to find solutions that are beneficial for all.