iOS 27 adds iPhone Handoff to let two phones share one number

Apple is adding a new iPhone Handoff feature in iOS 27 that lets users switch between two phones using the same number. The change matters for people who juggle multiple devices, and it may affect how developers think about phone-linked experiences.

Apple will add a new feature called iPhone Handoff when iOS 27 lands later this month, according to a demo clip referenced by The Verge. The feature is designed to let a user switch between two phones using the same number.

The capability was briefly mentioned during Apple’s WWDC keynote in June, but details were not available at the time. The new demo appears to show how setup works, filling in some of the missing context around the feature.

Why this matters

For users, the biggest implication is simpler device switching without giving up a phone number. That could be useful for people who carry multiple phones, whether for work, testing, travel, or personal use.

For software developers, the feature is worth watching because phone-number identity often affects onboarding, authentication, account recovery, and messaging flows. Any change in how a number can be shared across devices may have downstream effects on apps that assume one number equals one active handset.

At this point, the public details are still limited to what has been shown in the demo and the earlier WWDC mention. More specifics will likely emerge once iOS 27 rolls out later this month.

Source: The Verge