Apple:

iPhone Handoff lets you use one phone number between two devices, so you can switch between them whenever you want. It makes it easy to move back and forth between devices optimized for the moment — like weekday business or weekend adventures.

[…]

After iPhone Handoff is set up, one iPhone becomes the main iPhone and the other iPhone becomes the secondary iPhone that shares the number. Your main iPhone should be the one you use most often. Some carrier services, like Call Forwarding and Caller ID, and carrier account management can only be managed on your main iPhone. Contact your carrier for more details.

To move between your main iPhone and secondary iPhone, simply unlock the device that you want to start using — your phone number will automatically become active on that device.

[…]

iPhone Handoff works with Dual SIM as long as both eSIMs are from carriers that support iPhone Handoff. Once set up, both eSIMs switch together simultaneously when you unlock your iPhone.

They say you need to have Messages in iCloud enabled.

Joe Rossignol:

In addition to needing two iPhones running iOS 27, “iPhone Handoff” will seemingly require carrier support. The forum post mentions that T-Mobile in the U.S. and Deutsche Telekom in Germany might be among the first carriers to offer the feature.

T-Mobile:

T‑Mobile is introducing the feature at $5/month.

John Gruber:

This seems like a ridiculous thing to charge for. It’s not adding a separate device to your plan, like adding a cellular iPad or even an Apple Watch. It’s just switching your active eSIM between two iPhones. You can do this for free, now, on any carrier via Settings → Cellular — but it takes a bunch of taps, confirmation on both iPhones, and a few minutes for the carrier to register the eSIM transfer. iPhone Handoff just eliminates all the annoying friction and waiting.

Chance Miller:

As reported by CNET, AT&T seemingly has no plans to support iPhone Handoff.

Previously:

• iPhone Duo

T-Mobile says iPhone Handoff will cost $5 per month, giving compatible customers a way to use one T-Mobile number across two iPhones. The feature arrives with iOS 27 and is aimed at people who regularly switch between a primary and secondary phone. Apple’s iPhone Handoff support guide says two phones need iOS 27 or later, […]

The post T-Mobile’s $5 iPhone Handoff Fee: What iOS 27 Users Need to Know appeared first on The Mac Observer.

Apple is preparing a practical multi-device feature for iOS 27 that lets users keep a single phone number while moving between two iPhones. The capability, called iPhone Handoff, was first spotted in detail by MacRumors after appearing only as a brief line on a WWDC 2026 feature slide.

The idea is straightforward. One iPhone is set as the main device and keeps the user’s primary eSIM. The second phone is designated a companion and receives a companion eSIM tied to the same number and carrier account. The number then follows whichever iPhone is unlocked and in active use, rather than ringing on both devices at once. A Dynamic Island notification can appear when the number transfers. Cellular settings stay on the main iPhone, while location sharing updates to the device currently using the number.

Setup lives in Settings under Cellular. Both phones need iOS 27, and the feature depends on carrier support. Early reports point to T-Mobile in the United States and Deutsche Telekom in Germany as possible first partners, though availability will vary by network. The approach builds on how an iPhone already shares a number with a cellular Apple Watch, using eSIM provisioning instead of cloning a line or swapping physical SIMs.

MacDailyNews Take: The use case is niche, but useful for people who keep a smaller iPhone and a larger one, a personal device and a work device, or a future foldable alongside a standard iPhone. iOS 27 is expected later this month, so more official details and carrier confirmations should arrive soon.

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The post iOS 27 adds iPhone Handoff, letting two iPhones share one phone number appeared first on MacDailyNews.