[GTS18BGTS]

I have been using music stored on a 32gb thumb drive as a source. It's connected to the glovebox USB. However I am interested in downloading some playlists to the Jukebox so I can preselect music for a road trip. When I hit the option button the Jukebox menu selection for doing so is grayed out. When clicked it states the operation is not available at this time or something to that effect. Does bluetooth need to be off and/or a BT device not also connected to the PCM?

Additionally, I hate having to directly connect the phone to the PCM with a cable each time I get into the car for CarPlay to work. In my Ram truck, the phone connects via BT when I enter and I can then use Siri to make and receive calls and text messages. No wire required and not even for playing media. I realize this isn't going to happen in my Boxster, but would adding a SIM card associated with my cellular account mitigate the need to use a tethered connection for CarPlay?

 

[jimmuller]

I have been using music stored on a 32gb thumb drive as a source. It's connected to the glovebox USB. However I am interested in downloading some playlists to the Jukebox so I can preselect music for a road trip. When I hit the option button the Jukebox menu selection for doing so is grayed out. When clicked it states the operation is not available at this time or something to that effect. Does bluetooth need to be off and/or a BT device not also connected to the PCM?

Additionally, I hate having to directly connect the phone to the PCM with a cable each time I get into the car for CarPlay to work. In my Ram truck, the phone connects via BT when I enter and I can then use Siri to make and receive calls and text messages. No wire required and not even for playing media. I realize this isn't going to happen in my Boxster, but would adding a SIM card associated with my cellular account mitigate the need to use a tethered connection for CarPlay?

Two things here. First, IIRC, what happens when you insert a sub thumb drive into the slot in the glove box is this - the PCM asks what you want to do with it. I think I recall that you can play from it or you can copy files, but not do simultaneously. FWIW, copying files is not fast. Also it recognizes for copying only certain medial file types, a fairly large list but not every possible type.

As for running Apple CarPlay, the manual states explicitly that it must be connected by cable to the usb slot in the center armrest. It does not do CarPlay over bluetooth.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

Hey Jim. Thanks for the reply. Ok it seems the car needs to be started for the uploading to Jukebox and not just on accessory. Guess that may be to save the battery. It now works. I also understand the file format issues and the tethering. I was wondering about a dedicated SIM card for carplay and if that works in place of the phone being tethered.

 

[dreamer]

So far, the only car I have gotten in where CarPlay worked via Bluetooth was a BMW. And they charge you $ by the year to use it wired or wireless. So until Porsche makes a switch, we remain wired for CarPlay

 

[GTS18BGTS]

@dreamer So that would include a dedicated SIM installed in the car?

As I stated, Siri works in my Ram 1500 via BT. I get messaging, contacts, texts, calls and music via BT connection to the head. No other CP apps work and there's really no interface on the head unit for CP. The head unit has native apps, Sirius, Nav and some other apps such as Yelp.

 

[Viffermike]

Gentlemen, some background on Porsche and CarPlay:

Wireless CarPlay is only enabled on vehicles that have the software to operate wireless CarPlay on board. Porsches don't have that software. Meanwhile, many VWs do -- as do many other marques ranging from the aforementioned BMW to Hyundai (actually the first marque to feature wireless CarPlay, not BMW) and Ford.

What that means is that it's Porsche's decision, not its parent company's (VW AG), to not feature wireless CarPlay. Porsche has a history of not doing things in its Infotainment software (and elsewhere: do a search on 'black box Porsche' and learn about another one) that its parent company does do. What that signifies is that the Infotainment philosophy at Porsche is significantly different than at VW -- or at Audi, for that matter. Wireless convenience is not currently part of that philosophy.

Just because a so-called 'lesser' marque does something doesn't mean a higher-line marque should also do that same thing. It's all about what that marque represents as a brand, both to its existing customers and its own niches in the marketplace. Porsche has deemed wireless CarPlay as not critical to its brand positioning and to the intended scope of operation of its vehicles. You might not like that -- just as plenty don't like BMW's pay-to-CarPlay model -- but it is what it is through gobs and gobs of all manner of market study.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

@Viffermike I accept all of that, but will it work with a dedicated SIM card installed and linked to my cellular account so I don't have to keep plugging in and unlocking the phone?

 

[Viffermike]

@Viffermike I accept all of that, but will it work with a dedicated SIM card installed and linked to my cellular account so I don't have to keep plugging in and unlocking the phone?

It will not. CarPlay is fundamentally a function of iOS, not PCM or the data on the SIM card. The SIM card has no bearing on iOS' basic operation.
That's part and parcel as to why an iPhone will still operate without a SIM installed -- it's a computer, after all, with telephony as just one of its functions.
What I'm unsure of is if an iPhone with no SIM card will work through CarPlay. iPod Touch models do not work through CarPlay, but that capability is not nascent to the device (and to the version of iOS it runs) like it is in an iPhone.

 

[dreamer]

CarPlay has nothing to do with the wireless carrier(SIM card) It’s a feature on an iPhone and though you can connect your phone via Bluetooth and use many features (Siri included), CarPlay is a different thing

 

[GTS18BGTS]

OK that all makes sense as well. I have an old iPhone 6 I'm going to try. May try to use that for CarPlay and use my XR as a hotspot for it. I'll see how that goes

 

[JazzCatGab]

OK that all makes sense as well. I have an old iPhone 6 I'm going to try. May try to use that for CarPlay and use my XR as a hotspot for it. I'll see how that goes

If you are in the U.S., you can spend $25/mo for a SIM for the 6 through Consumer Cellular and have hands-free calling, etc. though CarPlay. The only thing is you need to spend 30 seconds forwarding your XR to it when you get into the car, and remember to turn forwarding off on the XR when you get out. That's for one line and 2 GB of data.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

If you are in the U.S., you can spend $25/mo for a SIM for the 6 through Consumer Cellular and have hands-free calling, etc. though CarPlay. The only thing is you need to spend 30 seconds forwarding your XR to it when you get into the car, and remember to turn forwarding off on the XR when you get out. That's for one line and 2 GB of data.

Thanks JCG. I think I'll just buy a short coiled lightening cable and call it a day lol My issue is reaching around to plug the phone in with the 6" lightening cable I use in my truck. Tough to reach around and plug it in. I'm only 10lbs overweight, I swear

 

[JakiChan]

Additionally, I hate having to directly connect the phone to the PCM with a cable each time I get into the car for CarPlay to work. In my Ram truck, the phone connects via BT when I enter and I can then use Siri to make and receive calls and text messages. No wire required and not even for playing media. I realize this isn't going to happen in my Boxster, but would adding a SIM card associated with my cellular account mitigate the need to use a tethered connection for CarPlay?

I'm pretty sure your Ram doesn't do wireless carplay. You can do everything your Ram does with your Boxster by NOT using carplay. Just use Bluetooth.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

I'm pretty sure your Ram doesn't do wireless carplay. You can do everything your Ram does with your Boxster by NOT using carplay. Just use Bluetooth.

Well what is it called? I can access Siri by pressing the button on the column stalk. I get calls, messaging and the like. Actually I can even ask Siri for directions, but then I need to look at the phone screen for the map.

When I try pushing the button on the stalk in the Porsche, I get a message that says no phone connected for CarPlay. However the phone is connected via BT at that point.

 

[jimmuller]

It will not. CarPlay is fundamentally a function of iOS, not PCM or the data on the SIM card. The SIM card has no bearing on iOS' basic operation.

That is dezactly right. As @dreamer also said, CarPlay is not a SIM card thing, it's an app on the iPhone and a SIM card has nothing to do with it. Siri is an iPhone thing, but it requires some way to get voice input into the phone. That way is CarPlay, so it requires that CarPlay is active. That's another way of saying that voice input to Siri is one of the services CarPlay provides. If you have the iPhone connected to the armrest plug then CarPlay and all of its features are available. If it ain't then they ain't.

 

[dreamer]

Here’s the thing, and granted, it is confusing, Siri will work without CarPlay. Your phone can still hear you and whether you’re wired or bluetooth, the phone can carry out Siri functions. And you probably can use a hard button command to call for “her”.

 

[GTS18BGTS]

I understand Siri is not carplay but I can access Siri using the stalk button in my truck. I can perform most of the functions I need when I’m driving wirelessly using the trucks controls while the phone is in the center console physically unattached. In order for that to happen I had to enable Carplay via the phone settings for CarPlay. So I ask - what is CarPlay over and above what I described? Is it the access to apps in addition to controlling the phones functions with the cars controls? Is it more than accessing Siri for assistance with the cars controls? That's really all I want to do without having to remember to tether the phone with a cable and unlock it which I don't have to do in my truck. And for accuracy, the new Ram trucks have full CarPlay with screen access and the apps features.

 

[jimmuller]

I see what you guys are saying. Siri works without CarPlay, but as a phone thing if your phone is connected by bluetooth as a phone. From my perspective that doesn't give you the nifty features like voice requests for navigation. As with my Android phone, it can navigate but you don't see the maps and stuff on the PCM. At least I think that's what you are saying.

 

[DriveInHouston]

I see what you guys are saying. Siri works without CarPlay, but as a phone thing if your phone is connected by bluetooth as a phone. From my perspective that doesn't give you the nifty features like voice requests for navigation. As with my Android phone, it can navigate but you don't see the maps and stuff on the PCM. At least I think that's what you are saying.

Ι think you are right, but, in addition, the BT integration allows Siri to be invoked through BT. You don't get the big screen, but you get the voice commands. ...I think...

 

[dreamer]

I don’t use Siri that often. When I use CarPlay it’s so I can use Waze or Google maps or one of the streaming music services like Spotify, Pandora or Google Play Music. When my complimentary Sirius XM subscription runs out, CarPlay will be key for getting good music. It usually is anyway (Sirius isn’t as good as it used to be). I do use the iMessage some and of course, Siri is how I respond. I rarely use it to make phone calls because when I’m driving the Cayman, well, I’m driving the Cayman. If you are in your car a lot and you like podcasts, you can listen to them as well. Obviously you can stream any audio via Bluetooth but using CarPlay is just an easier interface to navigate when driving. When IOS 13 comes out, there are some new features that CarPlay will have such as being able to see your calendar events and also a bit different screen look.