# How Messaging Apps Quickly Share Photos and Camera Previews > Apple's patent describes a way to quickly open a camera or photo gallery directly inside a messaging app so you can attach media without leaving your conversation. - **Patent:** US 10732795 - **Original title:** Message user interfaces for capture and transmittal of media and location content - **Owner:** Apple Inc - **Granted:** 2020 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** consumer_electronics, software, telecommunications ## What it does The patent details a user interface for messaging apps that allows a user to trigger a media selection menu while staying within a text conversation. When the user requests to add media, the device displays a panel containing both thumbnail images from the device's library and a live camera preview button. If the user taps the live preview, the device captures a new photo and places it directly into the message compose field. This allows for a seamless transition from typing text to capturing or selecting media for immediate transmission. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover media sharing that requires switching to a separate camera or gallery application. - Does not cover automated or background media attachment without explicit user selection of an affordance. - Does not protect the general concept of sending photos in a chat, only the specific UI mechanism of the concurrent media selection interface. ## The clever bit The innovation lies in the 'concurrent' display of the message conversation and the media selection interface, which replaces the keyboard on demand to minimize screen clutter while maintaining context. ## Real-world examples 1. iMessage app drawer 2. WhatsApp media attachment menu 3. Facebook Messenger media picker ## Why it matters This patent reflects the industry-wide shift toward making messaging apps 'all-in-one' communication hubs. By reducing the number of taps required to share a photo, developers can increase user engagement and keep people inside their specific ecosystem rather than jumping between different apps. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does How Messaging Apps Quickly Share Photos and Camera Previews cover? Apple's patent describes a way to quickly open a camera or photo gallery directly inside a messaging app so you can attach media without leaving your conversation. ### Who owns patent US 10732795? Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2020. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on August 4, 2040, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? This patent reflects the industry-wide shift toward making messaging apps 'all-in-one' communication hubs. By reducing the number of taps required to share a photo, developers can increase user engagement and keep people inside their specific ecosystem rather than jumping between different apps. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover media sharing that requires switching to a separate camera or gallery application. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10732795/ios-dark-mode **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10732795 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [Controlling a Camera on Your Phone with a Separate Gadget](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8675084/facetime-video-calling) — Apple's 2014 patent describes how a separate device, like a remote control, can talk to a phone to take pictures and videos, and show them on the remote. - [How Smartphones Automatically Adjust Camera Settings in Low Light](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11706521/dynamic-island) — A system that automatically shows or hides camera exposure controls based on whether the device detects low-light conditions. - [How Snapchat Stories Advance with a Tap](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8914752/apparatus-and-method-for-accelerated-display-of-ephemeral-messages) — This patent describes how an electronic device can quickly show a series of short-lived messages, deleting the current one and showing the next in response to a simple screen tap. - [How Phones Use Photos to Buy or Research Products](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8204793/fulfillment-by-amazon-fba) — A method for using a smartphone camera to photograph a product and send that image to a remote server to trigger a purchase or retrieve product information. - [How Apple's Emoji Search Interface Automatically Adjusts and Filters Results](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/11609640/stage-manager) — A method for managing a dynamic emoji search interface that swaps keyboards and filters emoji variations based on specific user criteria.