ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REPLY MESSAGE COMPOSITION

1 . A method implemented at an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying a message listing screen including a listing of a plurality of messages associated with different message formats and a reply message input field, the message listing screen being active so as to receive input events; and

while the message listing screen continues to be displayed and active,

receiving an input event at the message listing screen comprising entry of content in the reply message input field;

detecting a send command and a selection of a message format; and

in response to the detected send command, sending the entered content in a reply message having the selected message format in reply to a selected message referenced by the listing.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selected message format is different from a message format of the selected message for which the reply message is sent in reply.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message format is selected from one of email format, instant message format, SMS format, and social message format.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of messages is associated with a different messaging account provisioned at the electronic device for receiving and sending messages from the electronic device, and the reply message is sent using a different messaging account than the messaging account by which the selected message was received.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the send command comprises the selection of the message format.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a plurality of message format options in the message listing screen, wherein detecting the send command and the selection of the message format comprises detecting selection of one of the plurality of message format options.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the listing of the plurality of messages comprises a listing of a plurality of different message threads, and the selected message is a most recent message in a selected one of the plurality of different message threads.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to detecting the send command,

identifying a message referenced in the listing of the plurality of messages as the selected message; and

generating the reply message, the reply message including the entered content and being addressed to one or more recipients determined from the selected message.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the listing of the plurality of email includes both received and sent messages, and the method further comprises, after sending the reply email message, updating the message listing to include the reply message while the message listing screen remains active.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reply message input field is not associated with a single one of the plurality of messages or a single message thread.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the input event comprising entry of content in the reply message input field occurs without prior receipt of a command to initiate a reply email message.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the message listing screen includes a preview of the selected message and the reply message input field overlays the preview.

13 . An electronic device, including:

a communication subsystem;

a display interface; and

a processor in communication with the communication subsystem and the display interface, the processor being capable of:

presenting, via the display interface, a message listing screen including a listing of a plurality of messages associated with different message formats and a reply message input field, the message listing screen being active so as to receive input events; and

while the message listing screen continues to be displayed and active,

receiving an input event at the message listing screen comprising entry of content in the reply message input field;

detecting a send command and a selection of a message format; and

in response to the detected send command, sending, via the communication subsystem, the entered content in a reply message having the selected message format in reply to a selected message referenced by the listing.

14 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the selected message format is different from a message format of the selected message for which the reply message is sent in reply.

15 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the message format is selected from one of email format, instant message format, SMS format, and social message format.

16 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein each of the different message formats is associated with a different messaging account.

17 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of messages is associated with a different messaging account provisioned at the electronic device for receiving and sending messages from the electronic device, and the reply message is sent using a different messaging account than the messaging account by which the selected message was received.

18 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the send command comprises the selection of the message format.

19 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further capable of presenting, via the display interface, a plurality of message format options in the message listing screen; and wherein the processor is capable of detecting the send command and the selection of the message format by detecting selection of one of the plurality of message format options.

20 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the listing of the plurality of messages comprises a listing of a plurality of different message threads, and the selected message is a most recent message in a selected one of the plurality of different message threads.

21 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further capable of, in response to detecting the send command:

identifying a message referenced in the listing of the plurality of messages as the selected message; and

generating the reply message, the reply message including the entered content and being addressed to one or more recipients determined from the selected message.

22 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the listing of the plurality of email includes both received and sent messages, and the processor is further capable of, after sending the reply email message, updating the message listing to include the reply message while the message listing screen remains active.

23 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the reply message input field is not associated with a single one of the plurality of messages or a single message thread.

24 . The electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the message listing screen includes a preview of the selected message and the reply message input field overlays the preview.

25 . A non-tangible electronic device-readable medium bearing code which, when executed by an electronic device, causes the electronic device to carry out the method of:

displaying a message listing screen including a listing of a plurality of messages associated with different message formats and a reply message input field, the message listing screen being active so as to receive input events; and

while the message listing screen continues to be displayed and active,

receiving an input event at the message listing screen comprising entry of content in the reply message input field;

detecting a send command and a selection of a message format; and

in response to the detected send command, sending the entered content in a reply message having the selected message format in reply to a selected message referenced by the listing.