Apple’s iPhone Handoff Lets Two iPhones Share One Number, but Use Cases Draw Scrutiny

Apple's support website says a user picks one iPhone as the main phone and sets up Handoff on the other as a secondary phone. When either device is unlocked, the number becomes active on that phone, which receives calls and is used for Find My. The idea, according to The Verge, is that the secondary phone could be a weekend device with apps and settings configured to the user's needs, while Handoff lets it use the existing number. Apple is pitching this as a seamless way to use one number on two phones.

The Verge said its writer, who uses a lot of different phones, found the feature handy in theory but questioned who it is really for and why not just switch the eSIM. The report described the feature as seeming wilder the more it was considered, and it laid out a short list of potential users ranked from least to most speculative.

One potential user wants the Duo lifestyle without giving up a slab phone. Apple announced Handoff when it unveiled the Duo, so The Verge said this was likely a scenario Cupertino had in mind. Such a user might want the benefits of a medium phone that turns into a giant phone but still use a regular iPhone sometimes. Photo quality could be one motivator because the Duo comes with downgraded camera hardware, or the user might not want to carry the heavier, bulkier Duo on weekends. The user might simply like gadgets and switch between phones on a whim.

Another potential user has a work phone and a personal phone. The Verge said it does not know many people who live that dual work and personal phone lifestyle, and its writer has not had a work phone since a BlackBerry Curve. The feature could be nice for someone who needs two phones but does not want two phone numbers. If the work phone already has a phone number through an employer-managed account, however, Handoff as it works now is not an option. 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 report called this a niche use case.

A third potential user has a small, fun iPhone that cannot hack it as a main phone. The Verge acknowledged a personal bias but said it did not think it was alone. A user might love an iPhone Air or hold on to an iPhone Mini, neither of which has great battery life. Handoff could let that person get a newer phone with better battery and cameras while still holding on to the smaller phone for lighter days or weekends. The writer asked whether a 13 Mini could be set up as a minimalist phone without social media and switched back to when a break is needed, but questioned having the self-discipline to do that regularly.

The most speculative potential user works at Apple. The Verge said some ideas from Cupertino seem to solve problems only an Apple employee could have. It asked whether such a user reads a lot of PDFs in business class, has the disposable income to keep another iPhone around rather than trading it in to offset the cost of a $2,000 phone, and insists on elegant solutions even when they create unneeded complexity.

Realistically, The Verge said, very few people will want or need Handoff, and that is fine. It speculated that Apple engineers with multiple iPhones may have invented a feature to make their own lives easier. For others who like the idea of a secondary iPhone and do not work in a big glass circle, the report suggested trying a cellular Apple Watch. It called an always-connected smartwatch the best minimalist phone, citing access to messages, calling, music and navigation, existing phone-number sharing, and customizable notifications. If someone truly needs two phones and does not want to pay a carrier to keep the line active on both, The Verge said swapping eSIMs between iPhones is reliable and free.