N5+Lollipop 5.1 - Google Maps/Location Issue

[SRFast]

Hi. My sister and I are using the Nexus 5, both updated to Lollipop 5.1. We have had Smart Lock/Trusted Places enabled since Lollipop 5.0. and it has worked well. Both our home locations are trusted places so we don't have to unlock our devices when at home. I noticed that over the last day or two that I had to unlock my N5 when I was at home. I deleted my home address and re-entered it in Trusted Places with the same results - the device remained located at my home location. I dug a little deeper and discovered that Google Maps thinks I am not at my home. While sitting in my living room, Maps indicates I am located at the house next door! I added that location to Trusted Places and now Smart Lock works as it should. Weird.

I thought it was just my device that was not working properly, but the same problem appears on my sister's N5. Smart Lock no longer works when she is at her home location. I decided to use Google Maps to identify her location and instead of an address appearing, GPS coordinates were displayed!. Why would Google Maps display coordinates (Lat/Lon) on her device and an actual house address on my device? Using the GPS coordinates, I got her Smart Lock to work.

Is this a Lollipop 5.1 or Google Maps issue? The Maps version is 9.5.1. Anyone having issues like this?

TIA & Regards....JL

 

[Rukbat]

The GPS system is accurate to 10 meters, or a little over 30 feet - under ideal conditions. If there's a thermal layer overhead, it can distort the signal enough to make that 40-50 feet error. It's not something the phone manufacturers can "improve", it's the way the system works. (It measures the difference in time it takes for the signals from various satellites to get to your receiver, knowing exactly where the receivers are - 3 billionths of a second is about as accurate as you can get on a planet with an atmosphere.)

If you install GPS Status & Toolbox and look at the DOP (Dilution Of Precision) numbers, you'll probably see a number closer to 2 than to 1 when you're having that "I'm not home" problem. (Less than 1 means "pretty much dead on".) That just means that the atmosphere is messing up the system. (A slow moving storm front can keep the GPS inaccurate for a couple of days.)

 

[SRFast]

Thanks for the info. I wll give GPS Status a try.

 

[anon(285475)]

Connect to your home wifi and that really helps with the smart unlock because Google knows that wifi network means you're at home

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Joedm45]

I have also had this problem on my N5. Deleting my home address and putting it back in eventually fixes it for a day or two. Surely there must be a glitch somewhere.

In other news, I don't remember 'on body detection' being in the smart lock menu, noticed it today but have had no updates on my N5 recently. Anyone shed any light on this? Or do need to check my glasses