SkieIs location always on for managed devices?
Location is available on managed devices and the permission is granted automatically, with a protected background service reporting in. Whether an organisation uses it is its choice, and it needs clear consent and a written policy. Skie does not use it to hide anything: there is no hidden mode.
For location to work reliably, Skie's app runs a protected background service and its location permission is granted automatically during setup. A student does not have to approve a prompt, and cannot switch the permission off, because the app cannot be stopped or uninstalled by the user.
That does not mean an organisation has to use it. Location is a feature the organisation decides to rely on. A school can restrict who sees it, can use it only for lost devices, and can leave the pages hidden for roles that do not need them.
There is also a limit in the hardware. A device that is switched off, out of battery or without any connection cannot report. Locate attempts that fail show a reason in the dashboard, which helps you tell the difference between a device that is offline and one that has an issue. Skie does not publish accuracy figures, because they depend on the device, the surroundings and the network.
The tone of your communication matters. Tell students and parents that the device can report its location, who can see it and when it is used. Surprising a student with location data is the quickest route to losing trust in the whole programme.
A practical tip: decide your rule on a single sheet, such as location is used when a device is reported lost, on school trips and for hostel check-ins. Share it with families and keep to it.