iCloud3 is a device tracker custom component that tracks your iPhones, iPads, Apple Watches, AirPods and other Apple devices. It requests location data from Apple's iCloud Location Services and monitors various triggers sent from the Home Assistant Companion App (iOS App) to Home Assistant. Sensors are updated with the device's location, distance from zones, travel time to zones, etc.
Although Home Assistant has it's own official iCloud component, iCloud3 goes far beyond it's capabilities. The important highlights include:
- HA Integration - iCloud3 is a Home Assistant custom integration that is set up and configured from the HA Settings > Devices & Settings > Integrations screen.
- The Configurator - All of the parameters are updated on configuration screens selected from the iCloud3 Integrations entry.
- Track devices from several sources - Family members on the iCloud Account Family Sharing list, those who are sharing their location on FindMy App and devices that have installed the HA Companion App (iOS App) can be tracked.
- Actively track a device - The device will request it's location on a regular interval.
- Passively monitor a device - The device does not request it's location but is tracked when another tracked device requests theirs.
- Waze Route Service - The travel time and route distance to a tracked zone (Home) is provided by Waze.
- Waze Route Service History Database - The travel time and route distance received from Waze is saved to a local database to imrove performance and eliminate the response delay due to poor cell service and slow internet speed.
- Track from Multiple Zones - The device is always tracked from the Home Zone. Now it can also be tracked from another zone (office, second home, parents, etc.). Travel time and distance to the other zone is reported just like the Home zone. Additionaly, another zone can act as the primary 'Home' zone (vacation home, parents home, etc). This can be configured by device or globably.
- Improved GPS Accuracy - GPS wandering errors leading to incorrect zone exits are eliminated.
- Stationary Zone - A dynamic Stationary Zone is created when the device has not moved for a while (doctors office, store, friend's house). This helps conserve battery life.
- Sensors and more sensors - Many sensors are created and updated with distance, travel time, polling data, battery status, zone attributes, etc. The sensors that are created is customizable.
- Event Log - The current status and event history of every tracked and monitored device is displayed on the iCloud3 Event Log custom Lovelace card. It shows information about devices that can be tracked, errors and alerts, nearby devices, tracking results, debug information and location request results.
- Detailed debugging information - Several levels location history transactions can be displayed in the Event Log or in the Home Assistant Log File. These include general information, debug data and the raw device location data received from iCloud Location Services.
- Updating and Restarting - iCloud3 can be restarted without restarting Home Assistant. The current device_tracker and sensor entity states are restored on a restart.
- Device_tracker and sensor entities - iCloud3 devices and sensors are true Home Assistant entities. They are added, deleted and updated using The Configurator.
- Nearby Devices - The location of all devices is monitored and the distance between devices is determined. Information from devices close to each other is shared.
- And More - Review the following documentation to see if it will help you track and monitor the locations of your family members and friends.
Below is a Lovelace screen showing some of the information iCloud3 can display,
- The current zone (Home)
- Distance and Travel Time to Home
- Distance since the last location request and the direction you are moving
- The interval between location requests, when the next request will be made and when the last one was made
- The battery level
- Tracking information from the Home zone and the Warehouse zone
- The Event Log highlighting all tracking activity and results
The extensive iCloud3 documentation:
- Introduces the many features and components of iCloud3
- Provides step-by-step installation instructions
- Highlights the configuration screens and parameters
- Provides example screens, automations and scripts
Review the following chapters and see it is right for you.
Gary Cobb, aka GeeksterGary