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I'm curious, what aspects of this do folks find most useful? I've not used it at all because I'm pretty in to CarPlay.
Yeah, there's a lot of things that are nice about Apple CarPlay too and it is certainly an alternative. I am even an Apple developer BTW. But I just like to fully understand all of the options at my disposal before making final choices so I'm trying out all of the alternatives for a while first.
I have done navigation with both systems and think that it is cool that the Car Play navigation still works with my Apple Watch and taps me on the wrist as turns come up. However, I think the visuals and detail in the Google Earth maps are far superior to the Car Play ones. You also have the alternative of using the third option, the built-in Porsche Nav. Who would've expected a car to have three integrated navigation options?!
I'm also guessing that the Google Navigation will be superior (for now) in its ability to reroute based upon traffic changes based upon how the general Apple vs Google map apps perform on a phone. I used it a couple of days ago on a trip with traffic and find myself thinking that the Google Earth Nav is good enough that I may no longer feel compelled to use Waze instead. (At the time I was using it with the PCM tethered to my iPhone's WiFi instead of a sim, but the results were the same).
Since I do like to take very early morning solo drives deep into the Texas Hill Country at times, I like the Car Connect functionality for issuing a call for help in case of an airbag-deployment crash. To me so far it is the only compelling feature in all of this, but I do like a lot of tech and the convenience it brings.
I am a Director of Technology for an Austin tech company by the way, so it is part of my nature to try out every part of every bit of tech that comes my way and then help others understand when and how to use it. It keeps me busy and happy This mindset also helps explain why I like the turbo motors and newest cars despite the headwinds many present here. Once I think something may have a substantial benefit I'm on it to find out more for myself.
I'm truly interested in knowing what Car Play features you find superior and most compelling, I'm an Apple fan myself. I just hope not to let this particular thread get too bogged down in that discussion and keep it mostly as a tutorial on how to set up the connectivity features.
And now the 2018 has three possible independent cellular systems for three different functions. The Vodaphone system for Porsche Car Connect, Porsche Connect Plus services that can only be used through the embedded SIM, and the vehicle hotspot capability that requires a separate user plug-in SIM. Pretty straightforward and integrated system.
That's crazy! Thanks for adding more clarification.
I welcome additional information or clarifications from others with more experience with these systems too. I'm certainly a newbie and won't be embarrassed to be corrected or better informed.
That's crazy! Thanks for adding more clarification.
I welcome additional information or clarifications from others with more experience with these systems too. I'm certainly a newbie and won't be embarrassed to be corrected or better informed.
The sad part is there is really no clear definition of the 2017 to 2018 differences anywhere on the Porsche site detailing the Connect systems, and the dealer also had no clue about the differences. The tech nerd at the dealer that setup and showed me the connect stuff told me I needed the AT&T SIM card for connect plus services, because even he didn't know there was an embedded SIM for that stuff on the 2018's. The only way I found out was digging around on the Porsche Connect pages on the web. I stumbled into the Porsche Connect Store where it showed the Navigation & Infotainment services with Porsche Connect Plus cost $189/year (after free trial), which included an internet connection. That was the first clue that there was likely an embedded SIM card specifically for those services, and they had no connection to the AT&T SIM card in the tray. It finally became crystal clear when I saw a thread on here with folks unable to use their cell phone's hotspot to power the connect plus services like it could be done on the 2017's. Porsche closed that loophole in the money stream pronto.
Great post and you cleared up some questions for me. But, how does Porsche Car Connect communicate with the car without a cell connection? Blue tooth does not have the range.
It won't. I have very poor cell service at my home, and no service when the car is in the garage, so Car Connect will only update when the car has cell service and I use the app at the same time. My last update was 185 days ago 😛
I did not see this covered but on my 2017 Porsche Connect will "talk" to my Apple Calendar and if I have addresses for the appt it will make these avail for nav.
placing the cursor on search opens a window with additional choices
selecting calendar shows my calendar and locations where I have included a locations which can then be sent to the car...
I did not see this covered but on my 2017 Porsche Connect will "talk" to my Apple Calendar and if I have addresses for the appt it will make these avail for nav. selecting calendar shows my calendar and locations where I have included a locations which can then be sent to the car...
Nice one Mike! I just looked and see that. It will also pick up addresses from your Apple Contacts too.
I have the 2017 model and use my Verizon iPhone as a hotspot to utilize Google Earth without any contracts except my Verizon one. Is this consistent with your findings?
I have the 2017 model and use my Verizon iPhone as a hotspot to utilize Google Earth without any contracts except my Verizon one. Is this consistent with you findings?
Prior to adding the SIM, I was also using my phone's hotspot to access Google Earth features just using my normal AT&T wireless account. However, when I look at my Porsche Connect account on the portal it says I have Porsche Connect services through August 2018 and Google Earth is listed as one of those services and it shows that expiration date (one year from the original owner's purchase of the car).
Do you know if you have an active Porsche Connect account? (separate from the wireless data contract). If the car is less than a year old from its initial warranty start you probably still have Google Earth support.
I have the 2017 model and use my Verizon iPhone as a hotspot to utilize Google Earth without any contracts except my Verizon one. Is this consistent with you findings?
And it connects and shows google maps on your PCM? How do you do that? Does it also give you real time traffic on your PCM?
Last edited by subshooter; 03-15-2018 at 08:44 PM.
Yes, your click on the signal icon on the bottom left of the PCM screen after you have turned on your hotspot and select your phone as the data connection.I need to check it again now that my car is one year old.
03-15-2018, 11:38 AM
This mindset also helps explain why I like the turbo motors and newest cars despite the headwinds many present here. Once I think something may have a substantial benefit I'm on it to find out more for myself.
