public boolean markAsRead(String smsNumber){
  try {
    ContentResolver cr=_context.getContentResolver();
    ContentValues values=new ContentValues();
    values.put("read","1");
    cr.update(SMS_INBOX_CONTENT_URI,values," address='" + smsNumber + "'",null);
    return true;
  }
 catch (  Exception e) {
    Log.w("markAsRead() exception:",e);
    return false;
  }
}

public boolean markAsRead ( String smsNumber ) { try { ContentResolver cr = _context . getContentResolver ( ) ; ContentValues values = new ContentValues ( ) ; values . put ( "read" , "1" ) ; cr . update ( SMS_INBOX_CONTENT_URI , values , " address='" + smsNumber + "'" , null ) ; return true ; } catch ( Exception e ) { Log . w ( "markAsRead() exception:" , e ) ; return false ; } }
not supported in android 5 marks all sms from a given phone number as read
