Method and system for message thread compression

1. A method for compressing electronic mail messages each having a message thread for storage in a storage device, the method performed by a processor of a wireless device and comprising:

identifying, in each message thread having a plurality of electronic mail messages having message text sections, the message thread containing duplicate information in the form of duplicate message text sections, one or more duplicate message text sections of the message thread;

assigning a respective identifier to each identified duplicate message text section;

storing one occurrence of each identified duplicate message text section in the storage device for retrieval using the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section;

replacing each identified duplicate message text section in each thread by the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section to thereby compress the electronic mail messages; and,

storing the electronic mail messages in the storage device.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising deleting at least some identifiers and sections relating to a message when the message is deleted from the storage device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigning further comprises hashing each section to define the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the message text sections are sequential.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the message text sections contain one of original message text and subsequent reply message text.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each message text section contains one of message text generated by a wireless device and message text received by the wireless device.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the storage device is contained in a wireless device.

8. A system for compressing electronic mail messages each having a message thread for storage in a storage device, the system comprising:

a processor coupled to the storage device and to an interface to a network and adapted for:

identifying, in each message thread having a plurality of electronic mail messages having message text sections, the message thread containing duplicate information in the form of duplicate message text sections, one or more duplicate message text sections of the message thread;

assigning a respective identifier to each identified duplicate message text section;

storing one occurrence of each identified duplicate message text section in the storage device for retrieval using the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section;

replacing each identified duplicate message text section in each thread by the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section to thereby compress the electronic mail messages; and,

storing the electronic mail messages in the storage device.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further adapted for deleting at least some identifiers and sections relating to a message when the message is deleted from the memory.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the processor is further adapted for hashing each section to define the respective identifier of each identified duplicate message text section.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the message text sections are sequential.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the message text sections contain one of original message text and subsequent reply message text.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein each message text section contains one of message text generated by a wireless device and message text received by the wireless device.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the system is a wireless device.