T-Mobile has confirmed it will charge customers $5 per month to use Apple’s new iPhone Handoff feature, which allows the same phone number to move between two compatible iPhones.
Apple introduced iPhone Handoff with iOS 27, positioning the feature as a way for people who own two iPhones to switch between them without maintaining separate phone numbers. At launch, carrier support will be limited, with T-Mobile supporting the feature in the United States and Telekom offering it in Germany.
According to T-Mobile, iPhone Handoff will cost $5 per month. The carrier says the secondary iPhone will support calls, texts, cellular data, mobile hotspot, Scam Shield and T-Satellite on eligible plans.
How iPhone Handoff works
Once configured, one device is designated as the main iPhone while the second becomes the secondary iPhone. Unlocking the device you want to use automatically makes the shared phone number active on that iPhone, with iOS displaying a confirmation that the number has switched.
Only one iPhone can have the phone number active at a time. Apple says some carrier functions, including Call Forwarding, Caller ID and carrier account management, remain tied to the main device.
The feature could be particularly useful for customers buying iPhone Duo who do not necessarily want to carry Apple’s foldable iPhone everywhere. A second, smaller iPhone can share the same number without requiring a completely separate line and number.
Apple says both devices need to be running iOS 27 or later, connected to Wi-Fi during setup and signed into the same Apple Account. FaceTime, iMessage and Messages in iCloud must also be enabled, while the eSIM needs to come from a carrier supporting iPhone Handoff.
T-Mobile is one of the first carriers to support it
T-Mobile says iPhone Handoff will be ready from day one on the new iPhone 18 Pro lineup and iPhone Duo, while Apple says the feature can be used with compatible iPhones running iOS 27.
Apple has also confirmed that users need to contact their carrier if they later want to turn iPhone Handoff off. Simply deleting the eSIM from an iPhone may not cancel the carrier service or associated charge.
The $5 monthly fee means using Apple’s new feature through T-Mobile will cost $60 over a full year. Wider U.S. carrier support has not yet been announced by Apple, with T-Mobile the only supported U.S. carrier listed for launch.