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Apple’s iOS 27 Adds ‘iPhone Handoff’ to Let One Number Move Between Two iPhones

Beta footage shows the feature uses a main eSIM and a companion eSIM set up in Settings, and carriers must enable support before it will work for customers.

Overview

  • A leaked demo first published this week shows iPhone Handoff in iOS 27 lets a single phone number and cellular plan be shared between a primary iPhone and a companion iPhone using two eSIM profiles.
  • Setup lives in Settings > Cellular where a user designates a main device that keeps the primary eSIM and a companion device that receives a companion eSIM, with cellular controls remaining on the main phone.
  • The demo indicates the active number automatically switches to whichever iPhone is unlocked and being used, and the Dynamic Island shows a notification when the line moves between devices.
  • The feature requires both iPhones to run iOS 27 and appears to need carrier support, with reports naming T-Mobile and Deutsche Telekom as likely early partners and rollout varying by operator.
  • Beyond easier two‑phone use, analysts say a network‑level implementation could keep a companion phone reachable even when the main device is off, and the move highlights a capability Android currently lacks and may push carriers to offer new multi‑SIM services.