Why does Mobile IE6 use the 974px layout viewport?

Question

Why does Internet Explorer Mobile 6 use the 974px layout viewport ?

974 seems like a suspiciously accurate number.

Answer 1

The number is selected for 1024x768 monitors, which have long been the de facto standard. 1024 - 974 = 50, which allowed 25px fields on each side.

For a screen resolution of 1024 × 768, the approximate visible area is 974 × 650.

Many system systems use this width, for example:

• Width table: device pixels
• The Ultimate Guide to Social Media Image Size (PDF)
• Illustrative grid
• HTML5 Boilerplate Mobile
• Introduction to Grid Systems
• Optimum Width for 1024px Resolution
• What is the typical viewport size on a 1024x768 screen?