Spotify’s Car Thing, a device designed to bring Spotify’s music streaming service to cars without modern systems like Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, is about to become obsolete. The company announced that the device will no longer be operational as of December 9, 2024.
Launched in early 2021, Car Thing was aimed at drivers who wanted to listen to Spotify in their cars but didn’t have modern systems with built-in streaming apps. The device, priced at $90, allowed users to control the service with voice recognition, preset buttons, and a four-inch color touchscreen. However, by mid-2022, Spotify had already discontinued it.
Despite the discontinuation, Spotify continued to sell Car Thing devices until recently. The company has now announced that it will brick all purchased Car Things on December 9, 2024, and is not offering refunds or trade-in options.
Some Car Thing owners have taken to online forums to express their disappointment and plead with the company to open-source the device instead of rendering it useless. However, Spotify has not responded to these pleas.
The decision to discontinue Car Thing is part of Spotify’s ongoing efforts to streamline its product offerings and focus on developing new features and enhancements for its users. However, this move has raised questions about the company’s commitment to its hardware products and the future of music streaming devices in cars.
Read more: www.wired.com