As I said I have checked all the battery optimization settings and they are correct. None of these apps are optimized.
How did you add your phone as a presence sensor in the new app? Mine isn’t showing one.
Yeah, me too, been using L360 for quite some time, but I said what a heck… Let me try the new presence, maybe I can extend the life of the battery. Well, the battery usage jumped as much as the L360, but the results are promising, at least…
It actually doesn’t show it, but you can use the new presence device as “custom automation” in the new app. Devices do show in the Classic …
Go into Settings and enable presence on each phone/sub-account.
2 Likes
What’s funny is that setting only exists in Android. In iOS, turning on the “Use location information” setting is what creates the mobile presence device.
1 Like
If you are on Android, I do recommand to go into Settings->Batery->Battery Optimization->(Hamberger Button top right and see if the Advanced Optimization is enabled.
After that, you should go through all of the important apps like (ST, Life360, Blink, Arlo, IFTTT, All Android Services, others,) and set them to “Don’t Optimize.”
1 Like
Right, but “don’t optimize” = better have a fast charger on hand 
Was hoping that ST handles this better than L360. They are about the same.
UPDATE…I take it back! Looks like recent updates may have optimized the battery usage… L360 = 98mAh vs. ST 46 mAh. Last week they were running on par!
1 Like
If you delete the new SmartThings app, and then re-download, you have to rebuild your dashboard apparently.
yup, and re-order devices within your rooms.
And if you set the dashboard on one mobile device, it is separate from dashboards on other mobile devices 
Aren’t these true of the classic app also?
For the dashboard on the Classic app, if you add a device (favorite) to it, it would be the same on every mobile device.
2 Likes
Thanks, I guess it’s been a while since I made any changes there. I remember something being different between devices but maybe it was just the arrangement on the favorites card.
I use both old and new apps on iOS. Last night I tried to open the new app on my phone in a place with congested cell towers (leaving a busy Queens of the Stone Age concert ) and while it loaded it couldn’t get a status of any devices.
So I gave up and forgot about it. This morning at home I opened it and was presented with the login screen. After I logged in it was like the app has been reset - my dashboard was gone and all the tips and tutorials were back. Devices were all Ok, but it was like a fresh install of the app itself.
I had a couple custom automations in the new app that I was just experimenting with. I turned them off using the switch by each automation. Next time I went into the automation list they were gone completely. I thought the switch was to disable them, not delete them.
4 Likes
Something else has me VERY concerned. I just read the help page on the Aeotec Smart Energy Switch (of which I have 6) and it says “The Aeotec Smart Energy Switch is compatible with the SmartThings Classic app.”
So… are they dropping support for old devices going forward? Devices that conform to a standard (ie Z Wave) which Smartthings (oh sorry SAMSUNG CONNECT) is supposed to support? Can we say bullshit?
Why should I trust this platform for anything if they are going to drop support for devices they already support?
Time to say goodbye? Lot’s of alternatives out there now.
-
If a device is compatible with a “generic” handler (e.g., “Generic Z-Wave Dimmer Switch”, “Generic ZigBee Contact Sensor”, then, indeed, the “standards” of Z-Wave and ZigBee HA apply and all SmartThings needs to do to accommodate it is to make sure the Fingerprint definition in the DTH is not overly granular. A Fingerprint, for example, claims that a GE Dimmer Switch is: (A) A Switch, (B) A Dimmer, (C.) Manufacturer GE, and (D) A specific Model Number. But unless the GE Dimmer Switch has any special functionality, then the “generic” handler should be applicable. Thus, the Fingerprint match of the generic handler just looks for (A) and (B) … and ignores (C.) and (D).
-
If a device has special functionality and/or is non-conforming with the applicable generic-standard for its function(s), then a custom DTH needs to be developed (coded) by the manufacturer - or perhaps via paid arrangements with SmartThings - then tested, accepted, certified, and published. This is a much higher barrier to entry than a “generic” compliant device. The new App uses an new API, so a lot of Classic App compatible DTHs are not automatically compatible. Custom device makers may have to start the development and approval process all over again.
There are a lot of reasons certain smart devices are not “generic”:
- They are very unique and no standards really exist: super smart thermostats, robot vacuums, weather stations, alarm retrofit modules (Konnected.io), …
- and/or They have extra non-generic functionality: e.g., double tap, triple tap, reverse rocker position, indicator LEDs for a lightswitch. (I think Innovelli is a good example). These often will match the generic DTH, but then the extra functionality is not available in SmartThings.
I don’t know the particulars of the Aeotec Smart Energy Switch. My guess is that it should be compatible with the applicable generic DTH; but does the device have special extra features?
And on top of that, SmartThings has to decide which specific devices (manufacturer / model) they will officially and publicly claim to be “Works With SmartThings” certified. I think this implies that Support will be more responsive to Customer inquiries and issues. It may also imply a relationship with the manufacturer to resolve issues. And SmartThings probably, wisely, does hands-on testing of the device, rather than just “trusting” the manufacturer is generic-standards compliant.
I personally think the above model is just fine and dandy - if SmartThings doesn’t make it too onerous for an arbitrary manufacturer to make their device and DTH compliant and subsequently get certified and published. That’s the current issue: The new API is not fully published and production ready, so manufacturers can’t get very far. And, last I checked, the process to request a certification isn’t even in place.
This isn’t a dead end. This is a new beginning of an existing process…
(As far as I am aware.).
1 Like
Normally I’d agree… you can’t support everything forever…but unfortunately I don’t see that as the case here. With Samsung acquiring Smartthings I can guarantee there is pressure to focus on Samsung devices over others. There’s also very likely pressure to begin shutting down the “community” approach to custom device integrations and related efforts. Cut costs, appeal to the dumb consumer. The beginning of the end.
So you invest hundreds, thousands of dollars into smart home devices for Smartthings based on the promise to provide an open platform and to support a broad range of devices. Then the above happens. Step one, a new app is released. It drops support for various devices, devices still in service. New hub is released, requires the use of the new app, at least officially. It IS a strategy that is going to turn the Smartthing platform into a Wink hub, basically.
Given the breaking of so many promises by the Smartthings team (like having a migration system to new hubs (or even replacements!) I have no faith that there is any intention to fulfill the promise of the platform. My V2 died and I had to rebuild my entire system. Pretty ridiculous really.
The strategy then is no longer an open platform but rather efficiency. Can I blame Samsung? Probably not but I can voice how much I dislike the writing on the wall.
As to your sunny view if that was the case then already certified devices would still be certified and would work with the new app and hub. They don’t. Not all at least. Had I moved to the new app and hub I’d have $500 of switches to replace, plus other devices as well I haven’t checked into the status of (in the new app).
1 Like
None of the devices in that screenshot are the “smart energy switch” prjcf92eh2.