Method and apparatus for dynamic session placeholder for message collection user interface

1. A method of representing a conversation of related messages in a message collection user interface displayed on a wireless communication device, the message collection user interface displaying a list of messages from one or more communications applications on the computing device, the method comprising:

defining a plurality of dynamic session placeholders, each dynamic session placeholder representing a respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session;

displaying the plurality of dynamic session placeholders in the message collection user interface, each dynamic session placeholder presented as a single entry in a list of messages and ordered, within the list of messages, chronologically according to a corresponding time of action of a last message in the conversation of related messages represented by the respective dynamic session placeholder;

reordering the plurality of dynamic session placeholders within the list of messages, upon either transmission or receipt of a new message in the conversation of related messages represented by any one of the plurality of dynamic session placeholders, based on a time of action of the new message; and

displaying the reordered list of messages.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic session placeholder comprises a portion of the last message, an opposite messaging party, and a timestamp representing the time of action of the last message.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising updating the time stamp of the dynamic session placeholder, in response to sending or receiving a new message, to include the time of action of the new message.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

removing a dynamic session placeholder in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising archiving a conversation of related messages in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

displaying the unrelated message in the list of messages.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transmitting a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

displaying the unrelated message in the list of messages.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising invoking an application associated with a message type of the related messages, in response to a selection of the dynamic session placeholder.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising automatically opening the respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session upon invoking the application associated with a message type of the related messages.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the messages are instant messages.

11. A non-transient machine readable medium or media comprising program code which, when loaded into memory and executed on a processor of a wireless communications device, causes the processor to:

define a plurality of dynamic session placeholders, each dynamic session placeholder representing a respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session;

display the plurality of dynamic session placeholders in a message collection user interface, each dynamic session placeholder presented as a single entry in a list of messages and ordered, within the list of messages, chronologically according to a corresponding time of action of a last message in the conversation of related messages represented by the respective dynamic session placeholder;

reorder the plurality of dynamic session placeholders within the list of messages, upon either transmission or receipt of a new message in the conversation of related messages represented by any one of the plurality of dynamic session placeholders, based on a time of action of the new message; and

display the reordered list of messages.

12. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , wherein the dynamic session placeholder comprises a portion of the last message, an opposite messaging party, and a timestamp representing the time of action of the last message.

13. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 12 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to update the time stamp of the dynamic session placeholder, in response to sending or receiving a new message, to include the time of action of the new message.

14. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to remove a dynamic session placeholder in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

15. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to archive a conversation of related messages in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

16. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to:

receive a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

display the unrelated message in the list of messages.

17. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to:

transmit a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

display the unrelated message in the list of messages.

18. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to invoke an application associated with a message type of the related messages, in response to a selection of the dynamic session placeholder.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 18 , further comprising code configured to cause the processor to automatically open the respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session upon invoking the application associated with a message type of the related messages.

20. The non-transient machine readable medium or media of claim 11 , wherein the messages are instant messages.

21. A wireless communication device comprising:

a processor;

a display electrically coupled to the processor; and

memory including machine-readable instructions executable by the processor, the instructions, when executed, causing the device to:

define a plurality of dynamic session placeholders, each dynamic session placeholder representing a respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session;

display the plurality of dynamic session placeholders in a message collection user interface, each dynamic session placeholder presented as a single entry in a list of messages and ordered, within the list of messages, chronologically according to a corresponding time of action of a last message in the conversation of related messages represented by the respective dynamic session placeholder;

reorder the plurality of dynamic session placeholders within the list of messages, upon either transmission or receipt of a new message in the conversation of related messages represented by any one of the plurality of dynamic session placeholders, based on a time of action of the new message; and

display the reordered list of messages.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein the dynamic session placeholder comprises a portion of the last message, an opposite messaging party, and a timestamp representing the time of action of the last message.

23. The device of claim 22 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to update the time stamp of the dynamic session placeholder, in response to sending or receiving a new message, in include the time of action of the new message.

24. The device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to remove a dynamic session placeholder in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

25. The device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to archive a conversation of related messages in response to an interruption of a respective conversation of related messages.

26. The device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to:

receive a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

display the unrelated message in the list of messages.

27. The device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to:

transmit a message unrelated to any conversation represented by any of the displayed plurality of dynamic session placeholders; and

display the unrelated message in the list of messages.

28. The device of claim 21 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to invoke an application associated with a message type of the related messages, in response to a selection of the dynamic session placeholder.

29. The device of claim 28 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to automatically open the respective conversation of related messages constituting a common messaging communication session upon invoking the application associated with a message type of the related messages.

30. The device of claim 21 , wherein the messages are instant messages.