Apple has introduced iPhone Handoff with iOS 27, allowing users to use the same phone number on two iPhones and switch between the devices when needed.

The feature requires carrier support and may involve an additional subscription fee. At the launch of iOS 27, iPhone Handoff will initially be supported by T-Mobile in the US and Deutsche Telekom in Germany. Verizon and EE are expected to add support by the end of the year.

Information about iPhone Handoff does not appear in Apple’s announcement for Vietnam.

To use the feature, users need two iPhones running iOS 27 or later, connected to Wi-Fi and signed in to the same Apple Account. FaceTime, iMessage and Messages in iCloud must also be enabled on both devices.

iPhone Handoff can be activated while setting up a new iPhone or through Settings. When adding another iPhone, users can designate their existing device as the secondary iPhone.

Once set up, one device is designated as the primary iPhone and the other as the secondary, with both sharing the same phone number. However, certain carrier services, including call forwarding, caller ID display and account management, can only be handled on the primary iPhone.

Switching between the two devices happens automatically. When users unlock either iPhone, the phone number is activated on that device. A “Switched to this iPhone” message appears on the screen to confirm the change.

At any given time, the phone number is active on only one iPhone. Some other features, however, can work simultaneously on both devices. Payment cards in Wallet and car keys, for example, can be used on both. Apple notes that items such as transit cards, identity documents or employee badges may be limited to one device.

The feature also supports Dual SIM when both eSIMs are provided by carriers compatible with iPhone Handoff. Both eSIMs switch at the same time when the user unlocks an iPhone, although each eSIM must be set up separately.

Once activated, iPhone Handoff remains enabled until the user contacts their carrier to turn it off. Apple says carriers may charge a service fee, although T-Mobile has yet to announce pricing for the feature.

Apple released iOS 27 on September 14, with support for the iPhone 11 and later models.

Du Lam