PCCM+ Launcher for Android Headunits

Open Source Porsche PCCM+ OEM Launcher (Free) I'd love this to be in the 997 radio section too, but I am not sure if I should post this twice, maybe a mod can help. Over the last several months I've been working on a project that started out as a simple personal annoyance. I purchased one of the Android-based Porsche PCCM+ replacement head units from AliExpress for my 2010 Boxster S. Overall I was really impressed with the hardware, but one thing always bothered me... The launcher. No matter what launcher I tried, nothing really looked like it belonged in a Porsche. Most Android launchers are designed like absolute garbage and don't belong in our cars. They're filled with widgets, oversized clocks, weather animations, bright colors, or layouts that just don't fit the OEM aesthetic of PCCM. What I really wanted was something that looked like Porsche could have shipped it. So I decided to build one. Design Goals Rather than adding more features, I actually tried to remove as much as possible. The priorities were: Match the Porsche PCCM+ look and feel. Keep the interface clean and uncluttered. Make it usable while driving. Preserve Android flexibility. Allow users to choose what each button launches instead of hardcoding applications. Every icon can be can bind an application with a simple long press, so it doesn't matter whether your head unit uses ZLink, TLink, AutoKit, Headunit Reloaded, or another application. You decide what each tile launches. Current Features OEM-inspired Porsche interface Grayscale OEM icon set Lightweight launcher Long-press configurable tiles Phone Link icon for Android Auto / Apple CarPlay applications Open source (MIT License) Free to use Tested On Currently tested or being used on: Porsche PCCM+ Android (UIS7870) Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE BlueStacks Other Android devices should work, but Android head units vary quite a bit depending on manufacturer and firmware. Why Open Source? I figured there are probably other Porsche owners who are looking for exactly the same thing I was. Maybe someone wants to improve it. Maybe someone just wants an OEM-looking launcher without spending hours trying different launchers. If it helps someone else, that's enough reason to release it. GitHub GitHub Repository: https://github.com/JC7119/PCCM-Android-Launcher The latest signed APK can be downloaded from the Releases section. Feedback Welcome If anyone decides to try it, I'd really appreciate feedback. If you run into bugs, have feature suggestions, or run it on other radio's, please let me know so I can update the readme. I'm hoping this becomes something the community can improve over time.

Love it! Didn’t realize that other people build open source for Porsche as well - will check it out this weekend Maybe there is a way we can collaborate, I’ve built a DIY garage tool for Porsche as a web app ( www.flat-six.org ). It has documents, service/plans history, 3D viewer, OBD scanning, etc. was thinking of building a track-focused app for it as well, but it might be great inside yours. let me know how I can be helpful GitHub link: GitHub - dmitry-grechko/flat-six

What you've done is so much more complex then my little launcher. All I wanted was it to not look like Chinese garbage. What you did is going to be a great diagnostic tool.

Thank you, but you bridge a very interesting point, though. Is that for any track app functionality to work, it would be great to run it on an onboard device that has GPS data and other things. The problem with Carplay apps is that Apple has notoriously refused to publish CarPlay apps that are focused on track/racing as they deem them "unsafe" or "promoting illegal activity". However, with your approach, there is no need for Apple or Google app stores verifications, and it's possible to install it on a device. So, it might be worth exploring

Sounds great - I have an CHSTEK currently on its way from China.

That's the exact unit this was designed and tested on. Word of warning about CHSTEK units . Until I figured out what was needed to be done to actually swap the launcher because they disabled androids ability to swap launchers, it was a pain to figure out. Now that I know where the setting is I can definitely assist. CHSTEK buried it in the settings vs pressing the home button and setting a default launcher.

It’s currently in Holland, so getting nearer to Scotland - I will let you know when it’s here, would be great to make it look like factory. I have Mr12Volt in Cayenne , that looks neat and other than the Mr12Volt logo could be factory.

Love it, just arrived and installed a CHSTEK for my Cayenne 957 Turbo. I am not so expert with android. Is a difficult procedure? Is there any risk to get the radio unusable? It's possible to revert it back too the standard version? Best regards Luca

No it's not difficult, yes it can be uninstalled and the manufacturer launcher can be made default, seems like this is a common question will uninstall it from my unit and do a how to video.

Looks good and a whole lot cheaper than the upcoming PCCM retrofit unit for 987.2 cars.

Once they show what the launcher actually looks like, I'll probably make a version that clones that one to.

Installed and working well I will look at this again next week.

Big update for the PCCM+ Launcher. A French user on Facebook recently asked me if the launcher supported French. The answer at the time was no... which sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole. 😂 As of v0.9.2, PCCM+ Launcher now supports 19 languages and automatically follows the system language of the Android head unit. If your head unit is set to French, the launcher is French. Set it to German, it's German. Japanese, Russian, Greek, Chinese, etc. all work the same way. There's nothing to configure inside the launcher. Currently supported: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Polish, Czech, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Romanian, Greek, Turkish, Russian, Japanese, and Simplified Chinese. If the unit is set to a language that isn't supported, it simply falls back to English. This isn't limited to the eight main buttons either. The App Drawer, search interface, app-assignment menus, dialogs, and notifications have all been localized. I've tested Latin/European languages as well as Greek, Cyrillic, Japanese, and Chinese, and everything is rendering correctly without changing the PCCM-style layout. For anyone unfamiliar with the project, PCCM+ Launcher is a free and open-source Android launcher designed specifically for the aftermarket Android/Alibaba/AliExpress head units commonly installed in older Porsches. The goal is to make the Android side look like it actually belongs in the car while still allowing each function to be assigned to whatever apps your particular head unit uses. The project, source code, and APK are available on GitHub: GitHub - JC7119/PCCM-Android-Launcher: OEM-style launcher for Porsche Android head units with customizable shortcuts and factory-inspired design. As always, it's completely free. If you're running one of these Android head units, especially outside the US, I'd love to hear what hardware you're using, what language you're running it in, and whether you run into any translation or layout issues.

I've been running this launcher for a few weeks on my Heregoes 7862 based unit, and it has been flawless. Well done!

Glad you're enjoying it. Adding you head unit to known working. Thank you!

With Porsche 's release of the new PCCM+ for the 9X7.2 and 9X1.1 cars, it only felt fitting to give the launcher the same treatment. It is with great pride that I present PCCM+ Launcher v1.0 . v1.0 now includes both PCCM+ generations : the original PCCM+ interface as the Classic theme, and an entirely new Modern theme inspired by Porsche's newly released PCCM+ for the .2/9x1-generation cars. To keep everything contained within a single app, I've also added a Settings menu that allows you to switch between the Classic and Modern themes at any time. All of the existing launcher functionality remains intact, including configurable app shortcuts, the app drawer, search, and multi-language support. To everyone who has downloaded it, tested it, provided feedback, or simply followed the project as it's developed: thank you. I hope you guys enjoy the new interface as much as I've enjoyed putting it together. As always, the launcher remains completely free and open source . PCCM+ Launcher v1.0

Confirmed working: 2003 996.2 Carrera + Sadocom FY818 unit Just wanted to say thanks for putting this together and keeping it free. I installed v1.0 tonight and it works great in my car. For your compatibility list: Car: 2003 Porsche 996.2 Carrera (Tiptronic) Head unit: Sadocom 7" 2-DIN for 996/986 (AliExpress) Chipset: FY818, 4-core version RAM: 2GB Android: 14 Result: Installed from USB without issues and set as the default launcher. I'm running the PCCM+ .1 / Classic theme, which looks right at home in the 996 dash. Tile reassignment works as described. One question: is there a way to set up a screen that shows only vehicle speed, like a large digital speedo? I'm not sure whether that would be a launcher feature or a separate app I could assign to one of the tiles. If you or anyone else has a recommendation that fits the OEM look, I'd appreciate it. Thanks again for the work on this.

You could use an Obd2 app like toque or a GPS based speed app of some kind and assign it to the car icon or something. The reason I made them user defined was for that reason and to also make it so regardless of brand the apps can be properly bound.

First time poster here, I am about to install the Mr12Volt kit in my 2015 Boxster S and I would love to have a stock, Boxster S screen startup. Can your software do that and how hard is it to install?

I had to go look this up: For Porsche Pricey little devil..

Binding apps to the car icon is a clever approach, and it makes sense to keep them user defined so any brand of headunit can map its own launcher shortcuts. For the first-time poster with the 2015 Boxster S and Mr12Volt kit : a custom Boxster S boot screen sounds plausible if the software supports swapping splash assets, but I can't confirm the exact steps or difficulty from experience. Worth checking whether the kit and launcher expose boot logo files separately, since that usually decides how involved the install is.

The point about the missing business address and Gmail-only contact is the part that would stop me cold, not just the airbag label. Even if someone is rebuilding wheels in good faith, sourcing and reselling airbags carries real liability, and a shop that won't list any verifiable contact info isn't giving you much to go on. Paying through PayPal at least gives some recourse, but that only helps after the fact. I'd also want a photo of the actual airbag label before any money changes hands.