[T518W]

Guys, SA once told me Porsche is unsure about how they gonna proceed with their "Newer" model cars that has the infotainment & Nav that requires internet connection (LTE).
I just log in my Porsche portal saw they are charging $189 before tax ... isn't it not making any sense that we pay for the factory option on these features but ended up still need to pay more on yearly subscription ?
iE: BMW iDrive is free , Mercedes MBUX is free ...

 

[sobiloff]

You pay for it one way (bundled in with the overall price) or another (a specific, recurring line-item) since the manufacturer has to pay the cellular service provider. However, I agree that it seems to "nickel and dime" owners who choose that option. What's even more annoying is when a manufacturer charges an annual fee for a feature (*cough* CarPlay *cough*) that only costs them a one-time fee to license.

Frankly, the in-dash nav and infotainment features are generally outdated within a year or two, and much more expensive (if not impossible) to upgrade than a typical mobile phone, so I skip the built-in stuff and plug my phone in instead.

 

[Viffermike]

What's even more annoying is when a manufacturer charges an annual fee for a feature (*cough* CarPlay *cough*) that only costs them a one-time fee to license.

I don't follow this. AFAIK, Porsche isn't charging a recurring fee for CarPlay ... is someone else?

Guys, SA once told me Porsche is unsure about how they gonna proceed with their "Newer" model cars that has the infotainment & Nav that requires internet connection (LTE). I just log in my Porsche portal saw they are charging $189 before tax

First off: The image you linked to is not appearing, probably because of file size relative to the forum's server, which is not the most reliable. I strongly encourage you and others to post photos as embedded URLs instead of attachments for this reason and several others.

Now: $189 a year breaks down to about $15 a month, which falls in line with the monthly fee for service to an 'extra' cellular phone you add to a service plan from any of the major providers. (Example: adding an Apple Watch to an account with an iPhone costs $10 a month extra to start.) You are paying for cellular service -- both voice and data -- when you have Connect Plus; effectively, your car becomes a smartphone. This is not unusual.

Other manufacturers' baked-in service runs out, too -- just not as soon as Porsche's.

Finally: your Navigation won't cease to operate if you don't continue service. You just won't get the data-based 'extras': traffic data, built-in telephony, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Conceirge calling service, etc.

 

[sobiloff]

I don't follow this. AFAIK, Porsche isn't charging a recurring fee for CarPlay ... is someone else?

Yep, BMW. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/bmw-to-treat-apple-carplay-as-a-subscription-service-and-charge-customers-an-annual-fee

 

[rdmustang]

Yep, BMW. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/bmw-to-treat-apple-carplay-as-a-subscription-service-and-charge-customers-an-annual-fee

I get charging annually for cell service but charging annually for CarPlay is crazy stupid.

 

[Viffermike]

Yep, BMW. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/bmw-to-treat-apple-carplay-as-a-subscription-service-and-charge-customers-an-annual-fee

Ah yes: I remember this. It's a different model that fundamentally still involves licensing:

Instead of an up-front charge for CarPlay activation as an option when the car is purchased, an annual fee applies. The first year's free, so the charge would only end up being more expensive if an owner kept the car for close to five years.

That said, fundamentally the model is not sustainable and won't last unless Apple itself starts charging for CarPlay -- unlikely since so many manufacturers use it and it goes against Apple's core ethos, both as a company and as a mindset of its fanatics. There's already proof that it's costing BMW sales and no other car manufacturer followed suit that I know of, which is probably part of what BMW was hoping would happen. My bet is that it won't last beyond the 2020 model year.

 

[Michael1]

Yep, BMW. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/bmw-to-treat-apple-carplay-as-a-subscription-service-and-charge-customers-an-annual-fee

If there's no annual fee on a Chevy Spark, there should not be one for an expensive Porsche.

And where is the Android Auto (that is also included in a Chevy Spark)?

 

[Viffermike]

If there's no annual fee on a Chevy Spark, there should not be one for an expensive Porsche.

And where is the Android Auto (that is also included in a Chevy Spark)?

In 2015, Porsche had issues with the data that Google gathered via Android Auto. Here's an article on the Verge about it.
Porsche still has a negative relationship with Google because of this. For instance, Google Earth integration with PCM4's Navigation module expired at the end of 2017 and, to my knowledge, was not renewed.

BMW reportedly had the same issue with it, though its relationship with Apple is much more, um, symbiotic than most other car manufacturers (Read: its tech-sharing agreement is more exclusivity-based than others. This is probably why it could get away with the charge-for-CarPlay-annually experiment that's ongoing.)

 

[alfaguy]

"Finally: your Navigation won't cease to operate if you don't continue service. You just won't get the data-based 'extras': traffic data, built-in telephony, Wi-Fi Hotspot, Conceirge calling service, etc."
Hope so...
My newly bought '17 Boxster w/NAV just gives me a 'not available' message....
A great site BTW!!

 

[grasmere]

What is the Wi-Fi hotspot supposed to be used for anyway?
I’m connected to Wlan1158 as the hotspot in my car but not sure, presumably traffic info etc

This thread is excellent in answering some queries ( thank you all) but has also raised further questions about the true clarity of how the chuff it all works together.

I can imagine 99% of Porsche owners outside of this forum don’t use half the functions because they just don’t know how to!