iPhone and iPad Tips of the Week for the Text Messaging Power User
Posted 11/04/2010 at 3:08pm
| by David W. Martin

Text messaging power users, your day just got better! We've got a ton of exciting tutorials on how to get the most out of that simple messaging app on your iPhone. Today's tips teach you how to see more of your messaging history, follow along with the message's current character count and insert a subject line. We'll also show you the proper way to enter phone numbers in a message recipient list.
How to View More than 50 Text Messages at a Time
The messaging app on the iPhone only displays the last 50 messages you sent out to each of your contacts. However, you can view some more of your past texting history by scrolling to the top of the SMS message thread and tapping Load Earlier Messages.

Compatibility: iPhone
View SMS Message Character Counter
Some people like to have long, drawn out text messaging conversations, but for those that like to keep the conversation short, iOS has an SMS message character counter that you can turn on. Simply launch the Settings app, tap Messages, and then tap the Character Count switch to turn it on.

Now when you type an SMS message you'll see the character counter appear as you type your text message.
Note that the character count works differently with MMS.
Compatibility: iPhone
Add a Subject Field to Your Text and Picture Messages
Like in an email, you can add a subject line to your text and pictures messages by launching the Settings App, tap Messages, and then tapping Show Subject Field to turn it on (it is off by default).

Compatibility: iPhone
Adding Multiple Phone Numbers to a Mass Text Message
When you're entering a phone number directly into the "to" field and need to add in another contact after the fact, press Return to continue and add on another number.

Compatibility: iPhone