Apple appears to be developing a new iOS 27 feature called iPhone Handoff that could allow users to use a single phone number across two iPhones. The feature made a brief appearance during Apple's WWDC 2026 keynote, but a recent demonstration has offered a clearer look at how it could work.
The setup involves one iPhone serving as the primary device and another as a companion device, with the two connected through eSIM.
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Setting It Up
According to the early details, iPhone Handoff can be configured through Settings > Cellular, where users can select one iPhone as their primary device and designate the other as a companion.
Each device reportedly receives its own eSIM profile: one for the primary iPhone and a linked companion profile for the secondary device. This arrangement could allow calls and texts associated with the same phone number to work across both devices.
Day-to-day cellular controls remain linked to the primary device. Shared location information, however, may also follow the active phone number, meaning a person's shared location could update depending on which of the two iPhones is being used.
Carrier Support May Limit Availability
In addition to requiring two iPhones running iOS 27, the feature could depend on support from mobile carriers, potentially limiting its availability initially.
According to MacRumors, T-Mobile in the US and Deutsche Telekom in Germany could be among the first carriers to support the feature. The recent demonstration was shared by a MacRumors forum member using two simulated iPhones through Xcode 27's Device Hub.
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What's Next
Apple previously previewed the two-iPhone, one-number capability as part of its iOS 27 presentation at WWDC 2026. With iOS 27 currently in beta testing, the software is expected to roll out publicly later this month.
Apple could provide more details about iPhone Handoff, including carrier availability and how the feature will work for users, when the update is officially released.
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