According to Apple, a computer-implemented method for management of voicemail messages, performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, includes: displaying a list of voicemail messages; detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; detecting movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar; and responding to the detection of the finger movement by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "In some embodiments, the device has a touch-sensitive display (also known as a "touch screen") with a graphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors, memory and one or more modules, programs or sets of instructions stored in the memory for performing multiple functions. In some embodiments, the user interacts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts and gestures on the touch-sensitive display. In some embodiments, the functions may include telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, blogging, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital video playing. Instructions for performing these functions may be stored in a computer readable storage medium configured for execution by one or more processors.

"In one aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method, performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, includes: displaying a list of voicemail messages, detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list, and responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message. The method also includes: displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; detecting movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar; and responding to the detection of the finger movement by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes a list of voicemail messages and a progress bar. In response to detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list, playback of the user-selected voicemail message is initiated. The progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played. In response to detecting movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar, playback of the user-selected voicemail message is restarted at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar, and the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played is changed to correspond substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device includes a touch screen display, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include: instructions for displaying a list of voicemail messages; instructions for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; instructions for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; instructions for displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; instructions for detecting movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar; and instructions for responding to the detection of the finger movement by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage medium stores one or more programs, including instructions which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the device to: display a list of voicemail messages; detect selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; respond to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; display a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; detect movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar; and respond to the detection of the finger movement by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes: means for displaying a list of voicemail messages; means for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; means for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; means for displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; means for detecting movement of a finger of the user from a first position on the progress bar to a second position on the progress bar; and means for responding to the detection of the finger movement by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the second position on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the second position on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method, performed at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, includes: displaying a list of voicemail messages; detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; detecting a finger of the user at a position on the progress bar; and responding to the detection of the finger by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes a list of voicemail messages and a progress bar. In response to detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list, playback of the user-selected voicemail message is initiated. The progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played. In response to detecting a finger of the user at a position on the progress bar, playback of the user-selected voicemail message is restarted at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar, and the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played is changed to correspond substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device includes: a touch screen display; one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include: instructions for displaying a list of voicemail messages; instructions for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; instructions for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; instructions for displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; instructions for detecting a finger of the user at a position on the progress bar; and instructions for responding to the detection of the finger by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage medium stores one or more programs, including instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the device to: display a list of voicemail messages; detect selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; respond to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; display a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; detect a finger of the user at a position on the progress bar; and respond to the detection of the finger by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes: means for displaying a list of voicemail messages; means for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; means for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; means for displaying a progress bar for the user-selected voicemail message, wherein the progress bar indicates the portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played; means for detecting a finger of the user at a position on the progress bar; and means for responding to the detection of the finger by restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar, and changing the indicated portion of the user-selected voicemail message that has been played to correspond substantially to the position of the finger on the progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method at a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes: displaying a list of voicemail messages; detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; detecting a finger contact with a predefined area on the touch screen display, wherein the predefined area includes a progress bar that is configured to slide in a first direction in the predefined area on the touch screen display; detecting movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display from the predefined area to a location outside the predefined area, wherein the movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display has a component parallel to the first direction and a component perpendicular to the first direction; sliding the progress bar in the predefined area in accordance with the component of the movement of the finger contact that is parallel to the first direction; and restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the slid progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a graphical user interface on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes a list of voicemail messages and a progress bar. In response to detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list, playback of the user-selected voicemail message is initiated. In response to: detecting a finger contact with a predefined area on the touch screen display, wherein the predefined area includes a progress bar that is configured to slide in a first direction in the predefined area on the touch screen display, and detecting movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display from the predefined area to a location outside the predefined area, wherein the movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display has a component parallel to the first direction and a component perpendicular to the first direction, the progress bar is slid in the predefined area in accordance with the component of the movement of the finger contact that is parallel to the first direction, and playback of the user-selected voicemail message is restarted at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the slid progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device includes: a touch screen display; one or more processors; memory; and one or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include: instructions for displaying a list of voicemail messages; instructions for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; instructions for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; instructions for detecting a finger contact with a predefined area on the touch screen display, wherein the predefined area includes a progress bar that is configured to slide in a first direction in the predefined area on the touch screen display; instructions for detecting movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display from the predefined area to a location outside the predefined area, wherein the movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display has a component parallel to the first direction and a component perpendicular to the first direction; instructions for sliding the progress bar in the predefined area in accordance with the component of the movement of the finger contact that is parallel to the first direction; and instructions for restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the slid progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a computer readable storage medium stores one or more programs, including instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch screen display, cause the device to: display a list of voicemail messages; detect selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; respond to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; detect a finger contact with a predefined area on the touch screen display, wherein the predefined area includes a progress bar that is configured to slide in a first direction in the predefined area on the touch screen display; detect movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display from the predefined area to a location outside the predefined area, wherein the movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display has a component parallel to the first direction and a component perpendicular to the first direction; slide the progress bar in the predefined area in accordance with the component of the movement of the finger contact that is parallel to the first direction; and restart playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the slid progress bar.

"In another aspect of the invention, a portable electronic device with a touch screen display includes: means for displaying a list of voicemail messages; means for detecting selection by a user of a respective voicemail message in the list; means for responding to the user selection of the respective voicemail message by initiating playback of the user-selected voicemail message; means for detecting a finger contact with a predefined area on the touch screen display, wherein the predefined area includes a progress bar that is configured to slide in a first direction in the predefined area on the touch screen display; means for detecting movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display from the predefined area to a location outside the predefined area, wherein the movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display has a component parallel to the first direction and a component perpendicular to the first direction; means for sliding the progress bar in the predefined area in accordance with the component of the movement of the finger contact that is parallel to the first direction; and means for restarting playback of the user-selected voicemail message at a position within the user-selected voicemail message corresponding substantially to the position of the slid progress bar.

"Thus, the invention provides an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to retrieve, listen to, and otherwise manage voicemail messages on a portable electronic device with a touch screen display."

The inventors are Freddy Allen Anzures, Greg Christie, Scott Forstall, Gregory Novik, Steve Jobs, Imran Chaudhri, Stephen O. Lemay, Patrick Lee Coffman and Elizabeth Caroline Furches. The graphic below illustrates a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display in accordance with some embodiments.