MacRumors reports that Apple’s iPhone Handoff feature in iOS 27 will let one phone number move between two iPhones, using a main eSIM and a companion eSIM. The feature was briefly listed at WWDC and has now appeared in a demonstration shared by a MacRumors forum member.
How iOS 27 iPhone Handoff works
Setup lives under Settings > Cellular. One iPhone is assigned as the main device, while the second becomes the companion. Apple says the main eSIM stays on the primary iPhone and a companion eSIM is added to the other device, allowing users to switch the number between them.
The main iPhone continues to control the cellular settings. Location sharing follows the iPhone that is actively using the number, so Find My contacts should see the location of the device currently carrying the line. The demonstration used two simulated iPhones running in Xcode 27’s Device Hub, rather than two retail phones.
iOS 27 iPhone Handoff needs carrier support
The feature is not simply a software switch. Both iPhones need to run iOS 27, and the mobile carrier must support the companion-eSIM arrangement. MacRumors reports that T-Mobile in the US and Deutsche Telekom in Germany may be among the first carriers to offer it. Apple has not confirmed UAE support, so du and e& customers will need to wait for local carrier details.
Apple’s official iOS 27 preview lists the software as coming this autumn, while the company’s June feature list included switching between two iPhones with the same phone number. iOS 27 is expected later this month after three months of beta testing.
The useful part is obvious: keep a newer iPhone as the full-time device and use an older one for travel, exercise or situations where losing access to banking apps and work accounts would be inconvenient. Apple has also made the setup dependent on buying, or at least keeping, two iPhones.
Read our iOS 27 public beta guide before installing the unfinished software, and see our UAE iOS 27 beta advice for compatibility and regional caveats.
What is iPhone Handoff in iOS 27?
iPhone Handoff lets one phone number work across two iPhones by pairing a main eSIM with a companion eSIM.
Does iPhone Handoff work with every carrier?
No. The feature requires carrier support for the companion-eSIM setup, and Apple has not confirmed UAE availability.
Do both iPhones need iOS 27?
Yes. The demonstration and current description indicate that both iPhones need to run iOS 27.
