Quick question: Who exactly is iPhone Handoff for?
A seamless solution to a problem almost nobody has. | Photo: Allison Johnson / The Verge Last month, Apple announced a feature called iPhone Handoff. Not to be confused with that Handoff; this is a new one. iPhone Handoff allows you to keep your number active on two iPhones at the same time so you can easily switch between them. According to Apple's support website, you pick one phone as your main phone and set up…
Key points
- Apple's iPhone Handoff lets one number work on two iPhones at the same time.
- T-Mobile is the first US carrier to support it, adding $5 to monthly bills.
- Verizon plans to support Handoff by the end of the year, but AT&T does not.
Apple last month announced a new feature called iPhone Handoff that allows a user's phone number to remain active on two iPhones simultaneously. The company says users choose one device as their main phone and set up the other as a secondary phone. When either phone is unlocked, the number becomes active on that device, which then receives calls and is used for Find My.
Apple presents the feature as a seamless way to use one number across two phones. T-Mobile is the first US carrier to support it, charging an extra $5 per month. Verizon plans to add support by the end of the year, while AT&T appears not to offer it.
Who Handoff might be for
The article lists potential users, from least to most speculative. These include people who want a foldable phone like the Duo but still use a regular iPhone, those with separate work and personal phones, and owners of smaller iPhones with weaker batteries.
However, T-Mobile specifies that the secondary iPhone used with Handoff should not have any other service attached to it and cannot be used with a T-Mobile business account at launch. The article also suggests Apple employees might be the real target, as the feature seems to solve problems only they would have.
should not have any other service attached to it
— T-Mobile
Alternatives to Handoff
The article concludes that few people will want or need Handoff. It recommends a cellular Apple Watch as a minimalist phone alternative, offering messages, calling, music, and navigation while sharing the user's number.
For those who truly need two phones without paying a carrier, the article notes that swapping eSIMs between iPhones is reliable and free, though it may be inconvenient for professional phone users.
