IP Library › Granted Patent US 12695717
Granted Patent B2
US 12695717 · App. 18/223,905 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Electronic message user interface

Inventors: Alan C. Dye (San Francisco, CA); Christopher Patrick Foss (San Francisco, CA); Imran Chaudhri (San Francisco, CA); Jonathan R. Dascola (San Francisco, CA); Jonathan P. Ive (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
H04L51/42G06F3/041G06F3/04817G06F3/0482G06F3/04847G06F3/0488G06F3/04883G06F3/16G06Q10/10G06Q10/107G06F2203/04105G06F2203/04803G10L15/26
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12695717
App. No.
18/223,905
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A technique for electronic message user interfaces. In particular, the technique displays, on a display, an electronic message user interface and receives user input from a touch-sensitive surface, a rotatable input mechanism, and/or peripherals such as a microphone to access, compose, and manipulate electronic messages.

Claims (131)

1 . An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

a rotatable input mechanism; and

memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, on the display, an affordance representing an electronic mail application;

receiving user input representing movement of the rotatable input mechanism;

in response to receiving the user input representing the movement of the rotatable input mechanism, displaying a list of electronic mail thread objects including a first electronic mail thread object displayed at a top of the list of electronic mail thread objects;

while displaying the first electronic mail thread object at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, receiving user input representing a swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving the user input representing the swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for composing a new electronic mail message at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects.

2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message, displaying, on the display, an interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein displaying the interface for composing a new electronic mail message comprises replacing display of the list of electronic mail thread objects with display of the interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

4 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the interface for composing the new electronic mail message comprises one or more of:

an affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message;

an affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

an affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message.

5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a fourth set of one or more affordances associated with the new electronic mail message.

6 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

7 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving data representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving data representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

8 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

determining whether the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information; and

in response to determining that the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information, displaying an affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message.

9 . The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message, transmitting the new electronic mail message.

10 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying, on the display, a list of electronic mail message objects associated with the electronic mail thread object.

11 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture from a bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture from the bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects, replacing display of the list of electronic mail message objects with the list of electronic mail thread objects.

12 . The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects, displaying, on the display, an electronic mail message associated with the electronic mail message object.

13 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with the electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for deleting an electronic mail thread associated with the electronic mail thread object.

14 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the affordance representing the electronic mail application includes an indication of a number of unread electronic mail messages of the electronic mail application.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and a rotatable input mechanism, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying, on the display, an affordance representing an electronic mail application;

receiving user input representing movement of the rotatable input mechanism;

in response to receiving the user input representing the movement of the rotatable input mechanism, displaying a list of electronic mail thread objects including a first electronic mail thread object displayed at a top of the list of electronic mail thread objects;

while displaying the first electronic mail thread object at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, receiving user input representing a swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving the user input representing the swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for composing a new electronic mail message at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message, displaying, on the display, an interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein displaying the interface for composing a new electronic mail message comprises replacing display of the list of electronic mail thread objects with display of the interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the interface for composing the new electronic mail message comprises one or more of:

an affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message;

an affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

an affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a fourth set of one or more affordances associated with the new electronic mail message.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

21 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving data representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving data representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

22 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

determining whether the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information; and

in response to determining that the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information, displaying an affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message.

23 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 22 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message, transmitting the new electronic mail message.

24 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying, on the display, a list of electronic mail message objects associated with the electronic mail thread object.

25 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture from a bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture from the bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects, replacing display of the list of electronic mail message objects with the list of electronic mail thread objects.

26 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 24 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects, displaying, on the display, an electronic mail message associated with the electronic mail message object.

27 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with the electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for deleting an electronic mail thread associated with the electronic mail thread object.

28 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the affordance representing the electronic mail application includes an indication of a number of unread electronic mail messages of the electronic mail application.

29 . A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and a rotatable input mechanism:

displaying, on the display, an affordance representing an electronic mail application;

receiving user input representing movement of the rotatable input mechanism;

in response to receiving the user input representing the movement of the rotatable input mechanism, displaying a list of electronic mail thread objects including a first electronic mail thread object displayed at a top of the list of electronic mail thread objects;

while displaying the first electronic mail thread object at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, receiving user input representing a swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving the user input representing the swipe down gesture associated with the list of electronic mail thread objects to view content that is beyond the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for composing a new electronic mail message at the top of the list of electronic mail thread objects.

30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance for composing a new electronic mail message, displaying, on the display, an interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

31 . The method of claim 30 , wherein displaying the interface for composing a new electronic mail message comprises replacing display of the list of electronic mail thread objects with display of the interface for composing a new electronic mail message.

32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein the interface for composing the new electronic mail message comprises one or more of:

an affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message;

an affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

an affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message.

33 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding recipient information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a fourth set of one or more affordances associated with the new electronic mail message.

34 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding subject information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

35 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

receiving data representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving data representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with adding body information to the new electronic mail message, replacing display of the interface for composing the new electronic mail message with display of a dictation interface.

36 . The method of claim 30 , further comprising:

determining whether the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information; and

in response to determining that the new electronic mail message includes recipient information, subject information, and body information, displaying an affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message.

37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with the affordance associated with sending the new electronic mail message, transmitting the new electronic mail message.

38 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying, on the display, a list of electronic mail message objects associated with the electronic mail thread object.

39 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture from a bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture from the bezel of the electronic device at the list of electronic mail message objects, replacing display of the list of electronic mail message objects with the list of electronic mail thread objects.

40 . The method of claim 38 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the touch associated with an electronic mail message object of the list of electronic mail message objects, displaying, on the display, an electronic mail message associated with the electronic mail message object.

41 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

receiving user input representing a substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with an electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects; and

in response to receiving user input representing the substantially horizontal swipe gesture associated with the electronic mail thread object of the list of electronic mail thread objects, displaying an affordance for deleting an electronic mail thread associated with the electronic mail thread object.

42 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the affordance representing the electronic mail application includes an indication of a number of unread electronic mail messages of the electronic mail application.