Google has temporarily disabled one aspect of Android’s Smart Lock functionality while it attempts to fix a nagging issue with the feature.
Smart Lock is part of Android’s suite of security features. It allows users to specify certain instances in which they don’t need to unlock their smartphone after the screen goes to sleep. One of those exceptions allowed Android users to assigned their home, workplace, as well as a host of other locations, as a “trusted place.” When Android detected it was in a trusted place, it would stay unlocked.
In April 2017, the trusted places functionality started to act strangely for some users, either working intermittently or not at all. One month later, Google said Android’s then latest Play Services update, v11, would fix the issue. Since then, the feature has continued to work inconsistently. Android’s latest Play Services update removes the feature completely.
No word yet on when Google plans to re-implement the feature, but here’s hoping it comes back soon; when it worked, trusted places was very convenient.
Source: Android Police
Update: as several readers have pointed out, Google has seemingly fixed the issue. For most Android users, the trusted places functionality should be back in working order.
