A method of providing notifications of unread messages on a wireless communication device , comprising: displaying at least a first icon and a second icon relating respectively to a first electronic messaging application (IM1) and a second different electronic messaging application (IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2) on a graphical user interface of the wireless communication device , the first and second icons being selectable to invoke the respective first and second electronic messaging applications (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); receiving on the wireless communication device at least one of a first electronic message and a second electronic message associated, respectively, with the first electronic messaging application (IM1) and the second electronic messaging application (IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); in response to receiving said at least one of the first and second electronic messages, and in response to determining that said at least one of the first and second electronic messages has been received from a correspondent different than correspondents from whom previous electronic messages have been received and remain unread, respectively, for the first or second messaging application (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2): visually modifying, respectively, at least one of the displayed first and second icons to include an updated count of the number of different messaging correspondents from which electronic messages have been received and remain unread for the related first or second electronic messaging application (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); and wherein at least one of the first electronic messaging application (IM1) and the second different electronic messaging application (IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2) is an instant messaging application, the method further comprising providing in addition to unread message information, additional state information relevant to the instant messaging application, the additional state information including one of: whether a correspondent is signed in, the state of the connection, and a current state of the correspondent. displaying at least a first icon and a second icon relating respectively to a first electronic messaging application (IM1) and a second different electronic messaging application (IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2) on a graphical user interface of the wireless communication device , the first and second icons being selectable to invoke the respective first and second electronic messaging applications (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); receiving on the wireless communication device at least one of a first electronic message and a second electronic message associated, respectively, with the first electronic messaging application (IM1) and the second electronic messaging application (IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); in response to receiving said at least one of the first and second electronic messages, and in response to determining that said at least one of the first and second electronic messages has been received from a correspondent different than correspondents from whom previous electronic messages have been received and remain unread, respectively, for the first or second messaging application (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2): visually modifying, respectively, at least one of the displayed first and second icons to include an updated count of the number of different messaging correspondents from which electronic messages have been received and remain unread for the related first or second electronic messaging application (IM1, IM2, EMAIL1, EMAIL2); <EOS>