Mobile web design is now addressed via responsive web design.

Essentially, what used to happen was a website would detect your iphone or other mobile device and serve you an alternate set of web pages that were visually optimized for reading on your device.

Now, with responsive web design techniques, the website detects the browser width of your device (in pixels) and serves you alternate style sheets -- as opposed to an entirely different version of your website. Responsive web design encompasses mobile web design for smart phones and also style sheets optimized for tablets, small laptops, and other devices no matter what operating system or browser they are running. They even switch from landscape to portrait view depending on how you hold your iphone or ipad (or Android, or Windows phone, Microsoft Surface, etc.)

And all the while, your website is fully embellished for large screen views.