Apple’s iPhone Handoff is expanding, and Verizon is charging twice as much as T-Mobile

Apple introduced iPhone Handoff at WWDC 2026 as part of iOS 27, giving people who regularly carry two iPhones a way to keep the same phone number on both devices. Instead of moving an eSIM back and forth manually, Handoff lets one iPhone act as the main device while a second gets a companion eSIM tied to the same number.

The feature arrived with iOS 27, but Apple cannot enable it on its own. Carriers have to support the shared eSIM setup on their networks, which means availability and pricing depend on who provides your cellular service.

Verizon and EE have shown their cards

Verizon has confirmed that iPhone Handoff will cost $10 per month when support arrives on its network. T-Mobile, which was the first U.S. carrier to support the feature, charges $5 per month, putting Verizon at twice the price.

Customers in the U.K. now have pricing details as well. EE will include Handoff at no additional charge with its Full Works Plus plan, while customers on other eligible plans can add it for £5 per month on a rolling contract. EE still lists the feature as coming soon.

Here’s what you need to use it

Getting iPhone Handoff working requires both iPhones to be running iOS 27, signed into the same Apple Account, and connected to Wi-Fi during setup. Messages in iCloud also needs to be turned on, and the two phones have to be kept nearby while you add the shared number.

The setup itself happens through Settings > Cellular, where Set Up Cellular or Add eSIM gives you the option to use the number on another iPhone. From there, you can choose which phone should be active. The number only works on one device at a time, but moving between the two does not require transferring the eSIM manually each time. Calls, messages, Find My, and synced iCloud data move over to whichever iPhone is currently using the line.

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