Alias Phone name

Configuration
1

Is there a way to alias my phone name. So when I get a new phone I just change the target of the alias?

2

Look up notify groups.

3

I wish there was a way to template a device_tracker.myphone to copy the entities properties.
Then reference the new device_tracker entity in all my automatons.

Person does not fit the bill.
Notify group maybe fine for notifying. but not an Alias of a entity.

Is this a simple task in ha configuration file?

template:
  - device_tracker:
    name: SamsCurrentPhone
    copy:
      target:
      entity_id: device_tracker.newestsamsungS4

Now all the properties are copied over to SamsCurrentPhone

Am I missing a simple helper that does this? If not can someone explain why or how this is hard to do?
I would’ve laid money down betting HA already could do this. lol

4

No you’re not missing anything - but what kind of device tracker automations are you using. If its home/ not home lookat the state of zone home. It has the count of identified person entities. (read: abstracts the tracker)

Between that and three notify groups ive made it through four phone changes (im in IT sales - I switch a lot)

5

why not name your device the current name. so call it sams_phone. when u get a new phone, nuke the old phones name and set sams_phone as the new one’s name in the companion app.