All three family members have iPhones. I created a virtual presence switch for each iPhone that is theoretically triggered as each iPhone leaves or arrives. I then check the status of the three virtual switches to determine if anybody is at home and then adjust thermostats, lighting, fans, etc. as appropriate. My presence virtual switch works perfectly. My son’s rarely works. I’m always manually switching his virtual presence switch when I know his whereabouts. My wife’s was working until just yesterday. When I looked at her phone, I saw there was a new version of Smartthings app on her phone, and the app was not running. As soon as I initated her app, her virtual presence switch activated accordingly.
That got me thinking about my son’s phone. When I asked him, he says he dutifully closes every app he’s not using to conserve battery power on his phone. I’m wondering, if his Smartthings app is not running, will the iphone presence detector not work and thus my virtual presence switch is defeated? Is there a better way to handle presence detecting?
Thanks. I checked his phone and Background App Refresh for Smartthings app is ON and location services for Smartthings app is set to Always.
Here’s something I’ve wondered as well. If we all leave the house together (i.e., travelling together in the same car), is it possible the simultaneous geofencing events are not all being recognized? Can they collide? Do they queue up predictably? I don’t think this is the issue, but I’m just thinking outloud.
They should not conflict in reporting their status if multiple users are leaving/returning home at the same time.
Two possibilities:
If you have a single automation setting the virtual switch for everyone that could be part of the issue. Or do you have a separate automation for each user?
There are some users who have issues with their phone sensors and never figure it out.
Keep providing more details and maybe post a screenshot of your automation(s) in regards to presence and someone on here might be able to offer a solution. Blackout any personal info on any screenshoot before attaching.
One question… are you using simulated presence sensors or virtual switches?
Again, hopefully someone can step in and assist and get you up and running
Having a similar issue where my Galaxy S21 presence sensor works flawlessly but my wife’s iPhone presence sensor works intermittently. When it does not work, the minute she opens the ST app, the presence sensor updates. I don’t know much about iPhones but to me it would seem like somehow iOS is closing the ST app in the background and as soon as it is manually opened, the presence status updates. I’ve verified the background app refresh option is enabled for ST so not sure what else could be the culprit.
I am noticing lately that if I am away at work for nine hours, when I return home after work my presence doesn’t update until I open the smartthings app. If I leaving and come home throughout the day the presence works fine. Seems like it happens when I’m away at work all day and then return home
Is there anyone else that is seeing a recent issue with smartthings mobile presence. I have version 2 hub with the latest firmware and an iphone 11 pro with ios 15. I haven’t been experiencing any issues with mobile presence until three days ago. I recently updated my iphone to ios 15 and recently update the smartthings app. The mobile presence has been working after the updates and then just stopped working correctly. I have removed my phone as a presence sensor, uninstalled the smartthings app, rebooted my phone. Reinstalled the smartthings app, turn on “use this phone for location”, turned location services to “Always”, rebooted the smartthings hub.
I am having the same issues. They started after iOS 15. I have automations that trigger based on if our phones are home or leave the area. No matter what I do, it doesn’t detect that the phone has left the area. I have turned off/on location services, removed the app and reinstalled, no matter what I do, this specific piece is not working. All other automations I have are working, like turning on my lights outside of the house at sunset and turning them off at a certain time. I even went to Settings, General, Transfer/Reset iPhone, Reset Location and Privacy with no luck.
I am having the same issue now with my gf iPhone 12, and I suppose it happened just recently. It was working without any problem before.
I think the virtual presence sensor for iphoelne now looks different, as you can see in the screenshot.
