I've previously found that HomeKit presence detection is extremely unreliable to me because I rely on location services.

GPS location can be less than 100% reliable in cities anyway because signals are either blocked by tall buildings or bounce off them. There is then an added complication for those of us who live in apartment blocks ...

Even 100% reliable location detection is triggered when we reach the building lobby, not when we are in front of our door. Since we live on the 18th floor and it can take a few minutes to get from the lobby through the security doors and elevator, it is unsafe to use presence detection to unlock the front door, for example.

It's frustrating because there's a much more reliable option: triggering presence detection when we connect to our home's Wi-Fi network. For most people, this will be within sight of their front door.

It would also be useful to borrow some features from some Android devices like the Pixel. For example, this may result in your phone's ringtone automatically switching from a loud ring (which may be needed on the street) to vibrating (more home-friendly) when it is detected that you are home.

There's also an Android app called Tasker, an IFTTT app for triggering customized actions when your phone connects to your home WiFi. For example, it can open an app, toggle settings, and even send messages. iOS sandboxing would limit what a third-party app can do, but Apple could enable this type of automation natively in iOS.

So here is what I would like to see. Identify your home Wi-Fi network and let iOS remind you. Then set up a variety of automations once your phone connects. This includes:

• HomeKit automations (unlock door, turn on lights, etc.)
• Toggle settings (ringtone, do not disturb, VPN off, etc.)
• Option to no longer require authentication to unlock the device
• Switch to a different home screen (with the apps you use at home).

A second set of actions can be triggered when your phone connects to your work network - and of course, things switch back when you leave either network.

These are just things I can think of straight away. You probably have more ideas.

Would you like to see HomeKit presence detection over a Wi-Fi network? Please take our survey and let us hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments.

Ben Schoon contributed to this piece.

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