Is there any use of favicon.ico for mobile websites?
Here is my study about icons:
Considering the tag: <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="IMAGE-NAME" />
Considering the sizes:
57x57px default size
72x72px iPad size
114x114px Retina / Opera
Images:
'apple-touch-icon.png' - at iOS, in this image will applied the 'Gloss' effect. On other OS'es, nothing happens.
'apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png' - This image will not receive any effect
Here is the following tests on OS':
BlackBerry v6.0 or higher - Only works 'apple-touch-icon'
BlackBerry v5.9 or lower - Not supported
Android 2.2 or higher - Works both versions
Android 2.1 or lower - Only works 'apple-touch-icon-precomposed'
iOS 4.1 or lower - Works both versions
iOS 4.2 or higher - Works both versions and accept size attributes (and so, sizes different from 57x57px)
Nokia's (probably S60 5th FP1 and higher, not fully confirmed) - Some accept 'apple-touch-icon'
OperaMini (SpeedDial Shortcut) - Works both versions BUT must have at LEAST 114x114px (speed dial normally is 200x200px if i'm not mistaken.
I can see tiny favicon in the browser address bar on my Android phone. I'm not sure how useful it is :) but it is there..
UPDATE
As far as I can see favicon is not displayed if I add a bookmark on the homescreen (at least not in HTC Sense)
And bookmarks in the browser itself are just tiny page screenshots, so favicons not used there as well.
Don't think they are useful at all on an Android device.
I add favicon to all mobile sites for 3 reasons:
- It doesn't hurt
- Looks good when browsing via PC :)
- Some browsers look for it, so why would you return 404 and possibly use more bandwidth instead of sending a tiny favicon?