Online service (Integration of the aha app on the PCM) experience

[Paul de Waal]

Porsche offers a software upgrade for 249 pounds on the PCM 3.1 referred to as "Online services: Integration of online functions using the Aha Radio app in PCM". With this you can access all kind of internet services like Web radio, personalised web music, news feeds, podcasts, audio magazine, weather information, online Point of Interest (POI) search with POIs used as navigation destination, Facebook® and much more. (See http://aharadio.com/what-is-aha/in-your-car/porsche) through your portable phone. (Make sure you have a unlimited data G4 contract!)
As the OPC explained to me:

There are two stages to the PCM system. The Navigation update and Online services. Both updates upgrade the software level in the PCM to 3.42, however the Online service is an additional upgrade. Online services allows the AHA app to run (please see link below).
http://content2.eu.porsche.com/prod/pag/tequipment/TeqFinder.nsf/TeqFinder?ReadForm&country=gb
Click your generation 911 and model. Then click the Audio and communication tab. The will show both Online services and Navigation update.

It would bring the Porsche PCM inline with what many modern cars which already have this as standard and improve the reputation for the Porsche "human Interface ability" (If I was Porsche I would enable it as standard, the reputation improvement would exceed the relative limited revenue the get from this at this moment). You need a PCM 3.1 from 11/2012 or later and Smart iPhone (USB cable) or Android (Bluetooth) system. The app is free.
Actually if you activate this app and connect your phone through AUX/Bluetooth, you can already listen to the music from the app, but the convenient interface is missing.

Is there anybody who already purchased this option and is it working to your satisfaction? And Mr. Porsche, please rethink this one...

 

[jbm]

I had the upgrade completed on my Cayenne a few weeks ago - the Cayenne is a 2016 model with PCM 3.1 as a starting point. The upgrade (according to my OPC) was fairly straightforward and went smoothly. I wanted the upgrade primarily for the real-time traffic as I use the car for work and I'd been impressed with the real-time traffic information on my wife's BMW.

While the Porsche system works, I have to say that it lacks the reliability and ease-of-use of the BMW system (which uses a built-in sim card) The Porsche system relies on data from the Aha app, this is fine if you're starting your journey in an area with a good data signal, but not so good if you live in a more rural area (as I do!) The problem seems to be that the Aha app isn't smart enough to retry the connection, so if you start off without it working it still won't work even if you drive into a good signal area. I've tried disconnecting the phone and then reconnecting it, and also stopping and starting Bluetooth, but neither of those seems to reset the dreaded 'Aha is trying to connect to the server....' message! The only option that I can find so far is to stop the car in a good signal area, restart the Aha app, then once it connects all seems good from there.

Anyway as I said, it's still early days yet so I hope this helps, let me know if you want any more info (or have any suggestions!)

 

[Paul de Waal]

Hi Jbm,
Thank you very much for your reply! After your reply I found out that if you start up Aha and connect your phone with bluetooth to your PCM you can listen to the music. In trying this I had minimum problems from Birmingham to the surrounding of Reading, however I see your point. The restart sounds very annoying so based on your experience so I will not purchase the option. Thank you very much for sharing your experience!