iPhone 12 Pro Max 2 iPhones, 1 SIM?

[ipedro]

Yeah, I can’t decide. Both the iPhone 12 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 mini have desirable features that would have me choose one over the other and I cannot make up my mind on which to get. So... por que no los dos?

I’m thinking of getting an iPhone 12 Pro Max as my primary phone but also getting an iPhone 12 mini as a weekend/gym/travel phone, whenever I want to go light. I don’t want 2 phone numbers and would rather avoid physically swapping out the SIM card every time I want to grab another phone.

Can 2 iPhones work with 1 SIM, as long as they’re on the same Apple ID, with call forwarding and SMS message syncing like is done with an iPad?

Any advice from people who already do this? Any tips and pitfalls to look out for?

 

[BlackHawk00]

It's possible, but it depends on your carrier. I can tell you that in the UAE, mobile carrier offers up to 5 sim cards on the same number, conveniently. One doesn't have to swap sims if one wants to use the same number on a different phone.


Below are some features offered by the carrier on the multi sim:

Make calls, browse the Internet, or send SMSs from all your devices simultaneously, in addition to receiving calls and SMS services on the primary device that you choose.

I hope it helps!

 

[nordique]

Certain elements are possible but not the way you are hoping. That is going to be very annoying switching the sim card and balancing the texts etc between. I know you dont want to do that, but to get it to work the way you want, you will need to swap them out. The call forwarding and SMS forwarding is going to be an issue. It won’t work that way unfortunately, as you’ll have to set up the receiving phone every time you swap the sim, and that is going to be cumbersome. I imagine you’d tire of it within a week or so. Also, iPhones will not have the same forwarding as iPads and Macs.

Yes, iCloud syncing will help with iMessages and say Facetime but it is not going to be a seamless experience the way you are currently presuming. Just know what to expect and go from there. You will need to swap the sim into each phone, I am afraid, if you want to use it as described. It is not quite the same as having an iPad or Mac for the referring.

If you want a gym phone, consider the SE 2020 instead. Not only is it cheaper, but Touch ID is a lot more convenient with masks on. Another option is getting a cellular enabled Apple Watch and Airpods, which is probably the best way to go for A) what you are hoping to seamlessly achieve with one sim card and B) for the gym

I am unfamiliar with what the poster above me replied, so I can only comment on what I know of and have tried myself in the past as well

 

[BlackHawk00]

I am unfamiliar with what the poster above me replied, so I can only comment on what I know of and have tried myself in the past as well

I have not tried it in the United States but what I have mentioned above is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with Etisalat network.

It's very convenient what networks in Dubai are offering, so you don't need to swap the sim physically if you want to head to a gym with a different phone.

So it is possible, but it depends on your network if they are offering such a service or not.

 

[farhan.cma]

I have not tried it in the United States but what I have mentioned above is in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, with Etisalat network.

It's very convenient what networks in Dubai are offering, so you don't need to swap the sim physically if you want to head to a gym with a different phone.

So it is possible, but it depends on your network if they are offering such a service or not.

When you receive text does it come to all devices? Plus when you send texts does iCloud sync sent messages across all devices automatically?

 

[ukms]

When you receive text does it come to all devices? Plus when you send texts does iCloud sync sent messages across all devices automatically?

Yes to all of the above ........ the biggest challenge if you use it is you can only have WhatsApp running on one device on the same number ...... you can of course use WA Business on one device and WA on the other but they will need to be activated on different numbers (doesn’t need to be the same as the sim number)

 

[BlackHawk00]

When you receive text does it come to all devices? Plus when you send texts does iCloud sync sent messages across all devices automatically?

All SIM cards (up to 5) can be active simultaneously for outgoing voice and video calls, SMS, MMS, and data. Incoming voice can also be received simultaneously on all SIM. However, incoming video calls, SMS, and MMS can only be received on your assigned primary SIM.

You can only have one primary SIM assigned at any one time. However, the assigned primary SIM can be changed at any time.

It's a quite convenient feature, and I am using it for a few years now on multiple iPhones.

As far as I know, cloud syncing of SMS has nothing to do with the network or SIM card; it’s an Apple feature, so as long as you have the same iCloud account on both the devices and your ‘Messages’ option is checked, the SMS will show in all the devices.

 

[BlackHawk00]

Yes to all of the above ........ the biggest challenge if you use it is you can only have WhatsApp running on one device on the same number ...... you can of course use WA Business on one device and WA on the other but they will need to be activated on different numbers (doesn’t need to be the same as the sim number)

Yea, it’s a pain. I can’t wait for this to change so the same WhatsApp number can run on multiple devices. That would be a game-changer for me.

 

[ipedro]

I have an Apple Watch Series 6 with an LTE account. I do go out without my phone and just my Watch but sometimes I’d like to have a small phone for long texting sessions, browsing, running apps, etc. If Apple Watch allowed reverse the tethering, I’d seriously consider an iPod Touch using my Watch’s internet connection.