Great YouTube find @PygmyOctopus. I only tried the CarPlay functionality and not the general PCM functions. That is definitely multitouch in action with the PCM maps. I'd take a guess that the issue of its non-existence in Apple Maps lies with Apple.

That's really dumb of Porsche to change the speed limit indicator's position to overlay the distance remaining indicator (towards the end of video).

What are the missing Connect+ functions are you referring too?

 

Great YouTube find @PygmyOctopus . I only tried the CarPlay functionality and not the general PCM functions. That is definitely multitouch in action with the PCM maps. I'd take a guess that the issue of its non-existence in Apple Maps lies with Apple.

That's really dumb of Porsche to change the speed limit indicator's position to overlay the distance remaining indicator (towards the end of video).

What are the missing Connect+ functions are you referring too?

We miss on basically all of it. We just get connect, but renamed and repriced as connect+

The actual missing bits are:
Porsche Car Connect app
Porsche Connect app
Online nav, Google earth
Google streetview
WiFi hotspot
Smartphone storage/charging tray - although I think this bit may not have been confirmed for any Macan yet

Buy hey, things look set to change in 2018 when the new Motor vehicle standards Act will hopefully come into force.

 

I hope when CarPlay becomes wireless it will be available to everyone who has it already...

 

I'd bet wireless CarPlay requires more than just Bluetooth, which means a wifi hotspot in the car (security warning bells!!!). Apple haven't stated what technology is required and something funny happened with VW at CES.

Which, IMO, means todays CarPlay equipped Porsches won't support wireless Carplay if/when it comes.

 

I wish they would just split out google maps/traffic for those of us who use android phones.

I think "carplay like" becomes interesting when you have wireless connectivity AND charging. I want to just put my phone down and have it connect with my car without fearing that I will lose the battery power I need when I get to my destination. Today, we have neither...soon there will be wireless connectivity but wireless charging is still very limited and not available, as far as I know, in any car.

 

I wish they would just split out google maps/traffic for those of us who use android phones.

I think this is Google's fault; not Apples' or Porsches'.

I think "carplay like" becomes interesting when you have wireless connectivity AND charging.

Definitely but there are lots of hurdles to get over.

I want to just put my phone down and have it connect with my car without fearing that I will lose the battery power I need when I get to my destination.

And I'd like teleportation so I don't have to drive to the shops. Then driving would be way more pleasurable without all the idiots on the roads.

Today, we have neither...

We don't have a lot of things. Why can't we be grateful for what we do have.

 

I was really worried about this need to plug my phone into a cable. Really worried. So I tried an experiment. On 10 iterations it took me an average 0.2 seconds to plug in my phone. Calculating the impact of this I foresee 0.4 seconds lost, per day, from plugging in my phone. I'm going to have to ask the coffee shop to speed up the espresso's, because I'm losing minutes per day waiting for them.

 

That's cute, but it misses the point. You really shouldn't have to plug your phone in at all, given today's technology. If a woman has it in her handbag, there's no reason to take it out. If it's in my backpack, why not just leave it there if I don't need recharging,,,,at least that's coming but whether it's going to work on the 2017 PCM remains to be seen.

Also, there is rarely a good place to put the phone once plugged in...the 911 looks like it has a tray...and that's good...but why isn't it a charger as well.

 

CarPlay needs a cable because of today's technology. There is a big difference bluetoothing a few calls and streaming lots of music or map data- batteries in iPhones can't provide the horsepower to do that for longer periods. There are induction charging plates for cars, including Porsche, but iPhone doesn't have induction charging currently. Eventually this will come, but apple doesn't support it today. I think the early predictions for iPhone 7 are that inductive charging won't be on it.

In the meantime, I'll be plugging my phone in.

 

Just one simple question: What did one's get with 2017 PCM'Navigator (Nor conect, nor conect plus)? Thanks in advance.

 

My guess:

Base (and all other options) includes Porsche connect with built in SIM and you can get traffic with the navigation feature if you subscribe to sirius/xm traffic (generally useless because it's only in a very few areas and and be old information). Essentially it's the function is the same as last year with a more ipad like interface.

Connect only gives you Porsche Connect plus iphone connectivity...not sure what applications show on the PCM screen...I don't think Waze does which kind of defeats the features usefulness for those of us that love WAZE. Connectivity is through your iphone which connects with a cable however porsche connect still uses the built in SIM. Navigation is through your iphone.

Connect plus adds google maps/traffic, wifi hotspot and uses a SIM that you have to provide (not clear if it's GSM/CDMA or either). Also not at all sure how the apple applications show up on the pcm screen but I assume that if you are using the apple applications or connect applications, you are using your phone SIM....not sure what the SIM you have to insert for connect plus actually is used for except perhaps updates to Porsche's navigation maps.

It's all confusing with no useful information from Porsche and/or the dealers. Actually, the only clear part is "just PCM and navigation"...it essentially provides the same functions available on PCM last year....with a better touch screen and ipad like interface (use two fingers to zoom the map, etc).

There is a chart earlier in this thread (I think) that shows the differences.

 

My background is in "future product development" so I am well aware of where technology is vs what is currently available vs what is widely available. I am, by nature, never satisfied with what's deployed, knowing how much better it could be.

The technology to have wireless connectivity and charging is here...the deployment isn't. Security depends on implementation and what one has access to even if security is broken. wireless connectivity between a phone and the PCM is or can be more secure than keyless entry which isn't really very secure. Every Macan already has wireless cellular connectivity through a built in SIM to the Porsche applications. If you are worried about hackers, you have plenty to worry about irrespective of being able to just place your phone on a tray and having it connect and recharge.

There is no doubt in my mind that in 2-3 years, we'll have single connectivity vs the three we now have with connect plus...so one cellular plan, yes, all going through your phone. We will also have wireless charging. Whether or not it takes .2 seconds to plug a wire in doesn't stop technology nor does it remove the need/desire for improvement...and eliminating wires and plugs is definitely an improvement.

But what we have is certainly much better technology than 2-3 years ago...and it will continue to change at a rapid pace.

As far as google maps/traffic not being available separately from apple connect functionality...that's a packaging decision made by Porsche undoubtedly with some help from Apple who want to sell their phones and have people use their maps/traffic vs google's offerings. I would pay extra to get google maps/street view/traffic but I don't want to pay for apple connectivity that I can't use because I am android centric.

 

As far as google maps/traffic not being available separately from apple connect functionality...that's a packaging decision made by Porsche undoubtedly with some help from Apple who want to sell their phones and have people use their maps/traffic vs google's offerings.

I don't believe it has anthing to do with Apple. In this article (refer #5)
"As part of the agreement an automaker would have to enter with Google, Porsche said certain pieces of data must be collected and transmitted back to Mountain View, California. Stuff like vehicle speed, throttle position, coolant and oil temp, engine revs—basically Google wants a complete OBD2 dump whenever someone activates Android Auto. Not kosher, says Porsche. "

 

Wifi is included in connect+ package.

 

Not in all countries sadly

 

wifi in the car is no more or less secure than wifi in your home....

 

Not true. At home I have control over what modem/router I purchase, what firmware it runs, and how I secure it. With a car you have no control over how network connectivity is implemented; you put your trust in the car manufacturer. How would you feel if you owned a Jeep and it got hacked.

 

Google is competing with Android Auto so I doubt Google is in any hurry to help iOS users. I read that many Google apps on iOS haven't been updated for awhile.

 

As an ex-Apple employee, Nylon nailed it. Tim Cook (CEO) even apologized and offered suggestions whilst Maps was reworked (and yes, some heads rolled, but I had nothing to do with the product and had left a couple years earlier.)

While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.

Tim Cook Apologizes For Apple Maps, Points To Competitive Alternatives | TechCrunch

 

I got my MY17 3 days ago and have tried to get Google Earth to load. Everytime I do, it simply says Google Earth Loading and then it just spins and no result. Anyone else experience this?

 

iOS 9.3 Update for CarPlay

Perhaps discussed before, but I read this tidbit in a tech article today regarding updates to iOS 9.3:

"CarPlay - iOS 9.3 now syncs the Apple Music tabs ‘For You’ and ‘New’ for CarPlay users as well as adding ‘Nearby’ to Apple Maps which brings up handy local POIs including restaurants and cafes."


Apple iOS 9.3: Should You Upgrade?

 

Got a chance yesterday to try out Carplay on a 2017 911. First off, I am a HUGE Apple fan for those that haven't noticed already.
I was less than impressed overall. The new PCM seems much better than 3.1, but I didn't find everything, so still not as user friendly as it needs to be.

As far as Apple Play itself:
1. Maps-Just not great-LOW resolution view, "traffic" not as granular as I would like, colors not distinctive enough to differentiate things. Carplay Maps did NOT find all of the Costcos (specifically the closest) in my area, which is strange since doing the same search on Apple Maps directly on the attached phone showed them all when I did that a minute later?!?!?!?
2. Music-Works pretty well, but no cover art???
3. Messages-Why can't I see messages when not moving? Why only read them?
4. Pandora-Same as Music
5. Spotify-Same as Music

It's ENTIRELY possible that I just missed some features/functions. My SA was busy, so I just played with it myself for about an hour. But most Apple products are just so intuitive, that I was surprised. I understand that the idea is to use Siri for most things, BUT I would still like to use my hands when stopped, as it is much faster.

Overall, not what I was expecting. No live traffic has been my biggest gripe with the 3.1 NAV. I could see myself continuing to use Waze on my phone instead of Carplay, as the implementation is just so much better. Heck, I could see using Apple Maps on my phone instead of Carplay Maps, the graphics are so much clearer, and search results are accurate.

No idea if the 9.3 update released yesterday changes the visuals within Carplay display. The screen is obviously capable of much more.

 

Bummed to hear that. Well, one can only hope it gets better with future updates and hopefully those updates are just dependent on Apple and not an update on the Porsche side. Not that I don't trust Porsche - just easier when you can download the latest from Apple and be up and running.

I use Waze as well - love it. It's taken my wife on some pretty sketchy paths through LA (dangerous hoods) so I have changed it's name to "Waze (ways) to get shot!"

I also got the Nav module with Connect+ so we'll be triple redundant with maps. I'll be happy enough if we can finally get my wife to use Apple music and ditch the compressed and muffled satellite radio.

 

Hmm. Maybe just use the iPhone to play music via the Lightning cable to show album artwork...while turning off CarPlay. Is this possible?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

@fincher It asked me if I wanted to connect as iPod OR Carplay when I plugged in the cable. So you could go the iPod route and get the artwork, but then Carplay Navigation would be unavailable, and you would need PCM Nav. At that point, why order Connect or Connect+ at all?

 

Well in order to convince the auto world that this will work, Apple is going to have to show that they can keep the 100 or so models that offer Carplay current with their updates. Apple's interests are aligned with ours. Fortunately Apple launches major updates once a year so hopefully by September we'll be able to see improvement.

 

Well that is disappointing. But hopefully there is a more useful version of CarPlay on the horizon with the fall updates. To be honest I was hopeful there were going to be some more updates with the recent iOS download but I guess not. Thank you for taking the time to post @RJMcInnis

 

All the carplay reviews i've seen have been very mediocre. I really hope Apple provides updates for Carplay to make it better.

 

iOS 9.3 includes two improvements to CarPlay. One is better integration to Apple Music, which I believe is Siri integration ("hey Siri, play Adele's new song"). Not relevant unless you subscribe to Apple Music.

The other improvement is to Apple Maps, and is called 'nearby', whereby you can find out what poi's are near to where you are.

 

Thanks @kermit for the review and detail. Definitely helps out us soon-to-be owners with some valuable info

 

I played with CarPlay over the weekend in our GTS. My iPhone has iOS 9.3.1. Now playing shows a small album image. I don't see the low-res issue others raised for Maps. One minor annoyance is that when I bring up maps and I'm close to my home, the map app by default shows a route to my home, even when I'm obviously travelling away. Eventually, it'll switch the view to center where my vehicle is at. I have the diamond steering wheel button set to next track/station which works fine with radio and playing over bluetooth, but doesn't work with CarPlay. The physical next track button near the screen does work.

 

After playing with Apple CarPlay for a few weeks... it's actually pretty good. I'm really happy I canceled my 2016 Macan and ordered the 2017 Macan with Apple CarPlay.

Disclosure:
- I have a 2009 911 with PCM 3.1 & Navigation (So I know how the old PCM is)
- I use an Iphone 6 and I use Siri a lot. (For Nav / texting / checking sport scores / googling stuff ... )
- 2017 Macan with Connect (No NAV)

CarPlay Navigation - It works. I'm used to using SIRI to find destinations. Sometimes she finds stuff... sometimes she doesn't. If you ask for common things, like Find me Costco (or stuff like that) it works great. She'll show you a list of all the nearby Costcos. If you ask for something more obscure, Siri might bring up random results. You can always type in a destination via the keyboard. I had an address that someone texted me. After typing in 2 digits on the PCM display, the Apple Navigation pulled up the address from my text message. Super easy. Siri seems to pull addresses from your phone along with any address from the internet. I have no experience with the PCM 4.0 Navigation... but CarPlay is MUCH better than PCM 3.1 Navigation. Entering addresses is much faster.
Things I don't like about CarPlay Nav -
- No Pinch to zoom (you can double tap to zoom ... sometimes)
- Doesn't do a list of all your directions. It lists the next 2 turns.

CarPlay Music - Works as i you'd expect. Scroll through your playlists like it's your iphone. It's a little weird that the interface between CarPlay and PCM bluetooth is a little different. But... Over all, it's mostly just graphical differences. I don't use any streaming services, so I can't comment on that.

CarPlay Texting - I'm a believer dictation for texting while driving. You shouldn't be reading long messages on a screen while driving. So... how CarPlay does texting is how I'd expect it to be implemented. Siri only reads the txts to you. You can reply by dictation, but that's it. I'm fine with that... and that's also how I'm used to replying to txt while behind the wheel. She reads back the message to you before sending it. If it's wrong... just change it.

CarPlay requires Physical Connection - No biggie... I have the iphone cable dangling outside the arm rest. When I know I need Nav, I plug my iphone in and place my iphone in the cupholder. Otherwise, I'm just using bluetooth for Music. It only takes a few seconds for CarPlay to activate. Click on a few prompts and it's good to go.

Is CarPlay worth it? Absolutely if you're part of the Apple Ecosystem. It lacks few features of a built in car navigation, but I still like it MUCH more than the PCM 3.1 Navigation. I've seen reviews of the 2017 Porsche Navigation and it looks REALLY good. For the Price, CarPlay is good enough for navigation. Apple Maps is always up to date as long as you're paying for your iPhone.

I rarely use the Nav in my 911. it's just easier to pull out my iphone and use Apple Maps. I have to force myself to use the PCM 3.1 Nav just because I have it.

Final note... PCM 4.0 is light years better than PCM 3.1. Icons are bigger / Swipe to scroll (ipad like) / Better graphics / Faster.
With PCM 3.1, found myself staring at screen a lot to change radio stations (taking my eyes off the road) Even then... I'd hit the wrong button a lot since they're small. With PCM 4.0, the buttons are huge. A quick glance and I can easily change to the next radio station.

 

After playing with Apple CarPlay for a few weeks... it's actually pretty good. I'm really happy I canceled my 2016 Macan and ordered the 2017 Macan with Apple CarPlay.

Disclosure:
- I have a 2009 911 with PCM 3.1 & Navigation (So I know how the old PCM is)
- I use an Iphone 6 and I use Siri a lot. (For Nav / texting / checking sport scores / googling stuff ... )
- 2017 Macan with Connect (No NAV)

Thanks again for this full write-up.
I will be getting the same set-up as you; 2017 Macan with Connect (no Nav). I'm still a little confused with all this flap over the optioning of voice control. I did not make any special requests when I ordered my build, nor do I think my dealer checked off the magic box to get me VC; so my question is, does the VC button activate Siri to speak a command when the iPhone is plugged in via the USB cable - or are you relying on your actual phone to respond when summoning Siri?

 

@NETX, as far as I'm aware, no vehicles support wireless CarPlay yet. Apple added the capability in iOS 9, but it requires each auto mfg to implement/support it. VW wanted to demo it in January at CES, but has yet to release a vehicle with it.
CarPlay: Everything We Know | MacRumors

 

Thx for the MacR link back Dawiz, as I use that site daily being an old Mac addict. Unfortunatley there is not much verified CarPlay data out there yet IMO. I tried but failed just now to recontact the indie shop owner to verify that he has full CarPlay functionality w/ out the cable. He mentioned in our convo yesterday he can access Pandora wirelessly. I'll post a followup the next time I'm in town & back @ his shop as it seems I need some ass time in that Tacoma now.

 

Apple is the one holding wireless back at this point. They stopped VW from release, not the other way around. They are still determining standards and optimizing to meet there "experience" requirements. My understanding is they are having issues getting BT to respond fast enough without dropouts.

 

Do you think Apple will use bluetooth for wireless carplay, or use a Wifi link to increase bandwidth? Was the VW implementation BT?

 

For what its worth, I just rented a new Chevy Malibu on a biz trip; while I always make certain to pick a car out of the Emerald Aisle that I know will have Bluetooth capability, I was pleasantly surprised to see the Malibu had CarPlay! As for CarPlay specifically, I was very much impressed, and am super excited I will have this in my Macan. CarPlay launches nearly instantly when you plug in the lightning cable. Maps worked great - all my commands were spot-on accurate on the first try. My only beef with Apple Maps is that I find turn commands could come a little sooner - but that's an Apple issue to fix - nothing to do with the car maker. Texting worked great - you are basically having a conversation with Siri - which works amazingly well. Browsing your Music is just like browsing on your iPhone.
Very few third party apps are available so far, but Overcast (podcasting app) worked great for me as well. The beautiful simplicity of the Apple app tiles on the screen look great and make the interface such an intuitive breeze to use while driving.

2 more days till my boat arrives in Davisville RI!