I’ve been struggling with this issue for sometime now with my Node Red automation. Smartthings running on Android works fine, but not on iPhone 12 with IOS 15. I just noticed there’s an IOS 15.2 update available. Does anyone know whether this update does anything for this issue?
As far as I can tell IOS 15.2 did not resolve issue. Its very aggravating.
All, the link to Apple communities shows that this is an iOS bug - not a smartthings bug. I have a workaround using the Apple “Shortcuts” app which, being an Apple app, they have not screwed up:
- Open “Shortcuts” app, then press back to get to home page
-Switch to “Automation” using button at bottom of screen
-Create a new personal automation using “Arrive” and set required location that you need to trigger. Set the size of the location circle to be the same as the geofence of the app you need to fix, then select next and select the option to open the relevant app
-Repeat the above using “Leave” and again set the location ring, and set it to open the same app.
This will now fire the app up (eg smartthings) and location triggering will then work, even with screen off. Just tested this on a 12 mini on 15.2, and it works perfectly.
For a long term fix however, and the ability to control which apps are shut down by power saving (another IOS problem), I recommend Android…
Question on this…haven’t tried personally but wondering if have you tested with the phone locked? I don’t think it fires unless the phone is unlocked.
Phone was locked and in a pocket, outbound and return. Location triggered both times, first time it has worked on that phone, so it worked
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Going out now so 
I tried this for a bit but found all I got was a notification that I had to then click on it for it to actually launch the app. In hindsight (and a little knowledge I gained AFTER switching to Hubitat) I assume my problem was that I forgot the step to convert the “shortcut” to an “automation”. That step is hugely important and makes a big difference in what happens.
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I can report it didn’t work…only popped up a notification (even though I set it up as an automation) to run the automation. I guess it’s a good reminder but that’s basically it. Oh well…thanks for the suggestion anyway!
Been following this topic since my wife’s iPhone is no longer triggering automations. Mine and my wife’s are identical iphones - same iOS version / same SmartThings app version. Mine works reliably, my wife’s rarely works at all. One curious thing is that I have a webCoRE location defined for my wife’s phone and it triggers just fine. So I’m not convinced that it’s an iOS bug.
Looks like it got fixed iOS 15.3 beta 1.
Don’t know when iOS 15.3 will be released, hopefully soon!
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I hope you are right! After reading this post about the problem being related to the inability to keep SmartThings app running in background, I have observed that indeed, SmartThings app does not stay running AT ALL any more: when my phone goes to sleep with the app opened, the app does not come back up when the phone is unlocked again. It seems that SmartThings has intentionally made that change for whatever reason and it would seem to me to only exacerbate the issue. Other apps stay running after phone is re-woken just like they always have!
So glad I found this thread today…I thought it was just me! 
I upgraded my Iphone to the beta version ios 15.3
This has corrected the issue of presence for my phone. It now always detects me coming and going from my home even if the app is not launched. I am now waiting for the official release of 15.3 to correct my wife’s phone but will load the beta version if this does not happen soon
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@tas100x That sounds promising. I am still on iOS 14.XX. I have not had any issues. It’s only my wife’s phone. She’s upgraded to iOS 15.
I really hope this works. We have been forgetting to set the alarm, or we try and then it disables because it thinks a phone is at home. The manual turning on/off is just not working in an automated world!
Apple released iOS 15.2.1 today, I wonder if this fixes the geofencing issue… I’m hearing that 15.3 does indeed fix the issue, so I’m curious.
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I’m doubtful IOS update will fix. What I have found in my testing is presence won’t work on either IOS 14.x or 15.x IF you don’t agree every few days to the terms and conditions popup which happens and will not go away.
Today as example. We were both planning on leaving the geofence. I have IOS 14.8. Wife has IOS 15.2.1. Each of us opened up the ST app - and then of course the terms and conditions pop up happened AGAIN. Each agreed then FULLY CLOSED the app. Then left.
Both of us had presence work perfectly coming and going through the geofence.
Notably, my phone on IOS 14.8 will fail to report presence properly if I let the app go a few days without opening and agreeing to that popup.
So - how is this an IOS problem? I’m betting we still have it when 15.3 comes out.
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I have been using 15.3 beta for almost a week and its working fine and no pop ups.
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Boy I sure hope you are right - I can’t understand why a change in IOS would take away that annoying popup but if it works great. I left home today with my IOS 14.8 phone did not pull up ST and check for popup before I went. Sure enough - no presence sense for my phone when I left the geo. I pulled up the app - there is the stupid popup AGAIN one day later. I agree - hard close the app - head home - presence works fine.
I had the pop-up issue too, but I uninstalled the app then reinstalled it. So far so good… keeping fingers crossed.