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iOS 9 adds cellular Continuity, T-Mobile first U.S. carrier onboard
First introduced with iOS 8, Continuity allows users of Apple devices to sync apps, web pages and messages between iPhone, iPad and Mac, as well as answer calls and receive text messages on Mac or iPad. While useful, Continuity was limited to iDevices connected to the same Wi-Fi network and within range of each other.
In iOS 9, Apple has added cellular support for Continuity, meaning calls and text messages on iPhone can now be ‘forwarded’ to iPad or Mac without the devices being on the same Wi-Fi network or even the same physical location.
For example, if a user forgets their iPhone at home, they can continue to receive calls and texts on their iPad or Mac while at work.
As reported by VentureBeat, T-Mobile is the first U.S. carrier to support cellular Continuity on its network.
“Of course, when Apple came looking for someone to work with on this killer new feature, T-Mobile was first in line … just as we were with advanced Wi-Fi calling and texting on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus,” T-Mobile said in a note to VentureBeat.
A screenshot of the feature in the iOS 9 beta, captured by 9to5Mac, shows that in order to use cellular Continuity a user must have Wi-Fi calling enabled. Granular settings under “Calls on Other Devices” lets users enable or disable which iCloud connected devices calls can be received on. For example, a user may want to pick up calls on their iPad and Apple Watch, but not on their Mac.
“Wi-Fi calling for other devices allows other devices signed into your iCloud account to make and receive calls using your carrier account even when your iPhone is not nearby,” reads the description of the feature in iOS 9.
If the iPhone is not on T-Mobile, the description for this setting reads differently: “Use your iPhone cellular connection to make and receive calls on devices signed into your iCloud account when they are nearby and on Wi-Fi.”
Developers running the iOS 9 beta and are on T-Mobile has access to cellular Continuity already and the public beta, due in July, will give more T-Mobile subscribers access. T-Mobile will widely roll out the feature alongside iOS 9’s general release in September.
Screenshot: SiliconANGLE via apple.com
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