Apple is preparing a new iPhone Handoff feature for iOS 27 that will allow users to use the same phone number across two iPhones and switch the number between them automatically.
The feature was briefly shown during Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but the company did not provide many details at the time. New information from the iOS 27 development environment has now revealed how the system is expected to work.
iPhone Handoff will allow users to designate one iPhone as the main device and another as a companion device. The main iPhone will retain the primary eSIM, while the second device will use a linked companion eSIM.
Once configured, the same phone number can move between the two iPhones. The number is expected to become active on whichever device is unlocked and being used, allowing users to switch between the handsets without manually transferring the eSIM.
The setup will be available through the Cellular section of the iPhone's Settings app. Cellular settings will continue to be managed through the designated main iPhone.
Location sharing will also follow the active device. When the phone number is transferred to the companion iPhone, that device will become the one associated with the active cellular connection for location-sharing purposes.
Carrier support required
iPhone Handoff will require support from mobile network operators. The feature depends on infrastructure that allows carriers to provide and manage companion eSIM profiles.
In Germany, Deutsche Telekom is expected to be among the first carriers to support the feature, while T-Mobile has been identified as an expected early provider in the United States. Availability will ultimately depend on individual carriers and markets.
Both iPhones will need to run iOS 27 for the feature to work. Apple is expected to provide more information as the operating system moves toward its public release later this month.
The feature could be particularly useful for people who regularly carry two iPhones, giving them a way to keep one phone number active across both devices without having to switch SIMs or maintain a separate cellular line.
