mgvrmark

Just bought 2021 Macan GTS -- love it! In my previous vehicle (not a Porsche), I could stream Pandora through the cell connection that is built into the car. The cell service is through AT&T (about $200/year). I simply downloaded the Pandora app to the vehicle, and started streaming. Note this was NOT through my cell phone, it was NOT via Bluetooth, and I did NOT subscribe to the vehicle manufacturer's connected services.

Anyone know if there's a way to do this in my Macan? I do NOT want to subscribe to Porsche Connected Services, it costs $600/year and I don't need the other services. And I do NOT want to stream Pandora to my hand-held cell phone and Bluetooth it to the Porsche audio system.

This was sooooo easy in my previous car, but I can't find a way to do it (so far) in the Macan. I already have the AT&T cell service set up in the Macan (transferred it from my previous car), so I know the cell connection is there, I just need to figure out how to download/install some sort of app so I can stream Pandora directly into the Macan's cellular device.

TIA for any help with this. (the dealer had no idea how to do this, and had never heard of any other car manufacturers that offered this feature -- so no help there).

Nickshu

I don't think this works. You can connect your phone to the in car AT&T Wi-Fi and then connect via bluetooth to stream. Porsche is tops in performance but behind the power curve on smooth technology that I have had in other car makes.

mgvrmark

Thanks Nickshu, I hadn't thought of doing it that way -- will try. If anyone else knows how to stream Pandora through AT&T Connect directly to the audio system, I'd still like to know if that's possible.

jmoney99

Why not just use CarPlay? CarPlay has an app for Pandora and then you don’t need to pay any extra for the AT&T sim.

rdubu

OP is not an iPhone user I assume.

jmoney99

He could still run Android Auto. He’d just need to contact SimaServ or InnovativeSoft to do the update. Would be cheaper than paying for cell service for the Macan and many more benefits.

Or get an AI Box that does wireless CarPlay/Android Auto. Those are only $100-200.

mgvrmark

Yes correct, Android not i-phone

mgvrmark

Android user, not Apple. But I want the AT&T service anyway, so that I'll have a wifi hotspot in the Macan. We have some devices that do not have built-in cell service, and we like to connect them while riding (NOT driving!) via the wifi hotspot.
I haven't even figured out how to connect to the wifi hotspot yet, just got the car the other day, but I assume that will be pretty intuitive ... although I'm already disappointed that the hardcopy owner's manual has no information on this at all, refers you the the "digital manual", and so far I cannot locate any digital manuals through Playstore (supposedly available by seraching "Good To Know", but that doesn't work at all, and no other searches that I can think of work either). Besides which, I've read on other threads that the "Good To Know" digital manuals are garbage, even if you can find them. And the "digital manual" on the Porsche website is also garbage, a bunch of old Youtube videos that have very little info and most don't apply to the 2021 Macan. Sorry for the rant, but right now I'm disgusted with Porsche's incredibly poor user support. My wife's Toyota (less than half the cost of the Macan) came with much better documentation. Apologies to self for hijacking my own thread ...

Nickshu

What the OP is looking for is a built in app for Spotify or Pandora to play without a phone at all using the car's built in wifi. Other automakers have this. You can log into your spotify or pandora account on the PCM and just use the built in app to stream without needing your phone. Bummer Porsche does not have. It's nice to not have to pull out your phone to change a playlist or podcast. You can sort of do this on Carplay, but it does not work as easily.

For Android Auto there are vendors here on RL who can activate it on your Macan if you wanted that.

jmoney99

Since you have an android phone and will still use the Porsche hotspot, you might want to look into getting a CarPlay AI Box. These run android and utilize the cars CarPlay feature to basically turn the display into an Android tablet The AI box would connect automatically to the hotspot and you can use the full android apps like Pandora, Spotify, YouTube, Netflix etc. These also have built in GPS so you can use Waze, Google Maps etc. They run about $150-200 on Amazon.

Carlinkit has a newer version that uses Android 13: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7M9RT2W