Managing contact status updates in a presence management system

A system configured to perform operations to receive, via a network communication interface, an indication of a power event occurring at a first device. The first device is for an online identity. The power event causes the first device to switch from an external power source to an internal battery. The first device represents that the online identity is online while the first device receives power from the internal battery. The system is further configured to perform operations to hold, at a second device, at least one status update for an online contact of the online identity while the first device receives power from the internal battery. Furthermore, the system is configured to perform operations to release, for transmission to the first device, the at least one status update in response to determining that the first device switches back to the external power source.