Apple recently made iOS 27 available to all eligible devices, and it comes with some really incredible upgrades over iOS 26. The liquid glass UI has been refined a lot, Siri has received plenty of new capabilities, and Apple Intelligence has been expanded to many applications like Safari. However, one feature that I really found fascinating is the iPhone Handoff.
Interestingly, it's not a free capability, and its pricing depends on the carrier you are using. T-Mobile has already made it clear a while ago that it will charge $5 per month to use iPhone Handoff. Now, Verizon has also shared the exact price its users need to pay if they want to use this new iPhone feature.
What is iPhone Handoff?
Before we get into the pricing details, it's important to understand what iPhone Handoff is. It is an eSIM capability that gives you the power to use the same number on two iPhones. It is worth noting that it does not mean having two independent active lines; instead, the number will only be active on one iPhone at one particular time.
The swapping process between both iPhones is certainly very easy, and you will see a "Switched to this iPhone" message on the iPhone that is currently using the number. The best part about this feature is that in addition to calls and messages, Find My Location also automatically moves to the iPhone on which the number is currently active. Data synced with iCloud will also automatically update between both connected iPhones.
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User sharing experience of using the iPhone Handoff feature | Image by Reddit
Apple users are apparently using iPhone Handoff in different scenarios. One user commented under a relevant post that Handoff allows them to use their older iPhone for work purposes and the new one for personal usage.
Do you really see yourself using the iPhone Handoff feature?
6 Votes
Verizon pricing to use iPhone Handoff
In an iPhone Duoannouncement post, Verizon shared that its users will have to pay $10 per month in order to enjoy the iPhone Handoff feature on their devices. For comparison, T-Mobile charges only $5 per month. While talking to CNET, a spokesperson from AT&T, which is another major US carrier, mentioned that they see potential in the iPhone Handoff, but currently they don't have any plans to introduce it.
Deutsche Telekom in Germany also supports this feature and asks its customers €6.95 (approx $7.79) monthly for using Handoff on the compatible iPhone; however, you can enjoy it for free if you are subscribed to the MagentaMobil L and XL plans. Another UK carrier, EE has already made it clear that it is soon going to make the feature available to its customers. Using it will cost no money to users who are subscribed to the EE Full Work Plus plan, though the carrier is going to charge £5 (~ $6.66) per month from other users.
It should be free
iPhone Handoff looks like a great feature to have, but most users believe that it should be available for free. I was able to spot plenty of comments and posts with users calling out carriers for not making such an incredible capability available at no extra cost.
User demanding iPhone Handoff feature to be available for free. | Image by Reddit
One user commented under a relevant post that "It's flat out greed. The feature should be available for free." Another iPhone user mentioned that they are charging money to maximize the profit.
Charging twice as much is really too much
It would be really great if the iPhone Handoff became available for free, but I really don't think it would be possible because it's a carrier service and they'll surely try to maximize their profit by charging a few bucks for it. However, I am totally against Verizon charging a whopping $10, whereas one of its main competitors is charging just $5. I know Handoff is a niche feature, and very few people are going to use it; still, charging $10 for it is really unreasonable.
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Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.
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