Apple has filed a few changes to the SMS messaging interface. The first, called Multiple Recipient Messaging Service for Mobile Device (# 20090176517), allows sending a message to multiple recipients at once (as shown above), this could be helpful for sending texts to maybe a team of people. Apple suggest that the app to check the status of the messages after a certain interval of time to see if they were received. If some of the messages weren’t received, it offers an interface in which the sender could easily resend the message to those who didn’t receive it, and also giving the user the option to send it through a different medium such as email.
The other patent application, called Systems, methods and apparatus for providing unread message alerts (# 20090177617), suggests way that make it easier for the user to read unread messages. For example, it suggests checking to see if someone you are about to contact has sent you a message you haven’t, it gives the user a way of viewing the message before contracting them. It would cross-check unread emails, SMS messages, voicemails etc. for that contact.
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