Quick question: Exactly who benefits from iPhone Handoff between two phones?

How Handoff works

Apple introduced iPhone Handoff last month. It is a new feature, separate from another Apple feature also called Handoff. Users designate one iPhone as primary and configure the other as secondary. When either phone is unlocked, the number becomes active there, and that phone receives calls and is used for Find My.

Carrier limits and costs

The feature is intended to let people use a second iPhone with their existing number. Apple presents it as a seamless way to switch between devices, but carrier availability is limited.

T-Mobile is the first US carrier to support Handoff, charging an additional $5 per month. Verizon plans to offer it by the end of the year; AT&T customers apparently cannot use it for now.

Who might want two phones

One possible audience is people who want a Duo for a larger screen but still want to use a regular iPhone. A lighter phone for weekends, different camera capabilities, or simply an interest in switching devices could also appeal.

People seeking separate work and personal phones might find it useful, but only if they do not need two phone numbers. T-Mobile says the secondary iPhone cannot have another service attached, and business accounts are not supported at launch.

A niche convenience

Someone with a smaller iPhone and a newer device might keep the compact phone for lighter-use days, or use it to reduce access to social media. The author also questions whether switching between phones would be practical enough to do regularly.

The piece argues that Handoff is likely to serve few people, though it could suit those willing to keep another iPhone. It also raises the possibility that Apple engineers created the feature to address their own multi-phone habits.