Spotify’s Car Thing, a limited hardware “test” that the company began shipping just three years ago, is about to expire. Company books on Thursday that the device, which brought Spotify to cars without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, “will no longer work” as of December 9.
Car Thing was aimed at drivers who want to listen to Spotify in their cars but don’t have modern systems with built-in streaming apps. The $90 device lets you control the service with voice recognition and preset buttons, and has a 4-inch color touchscreen. However, Spotify had already discontinued it by mid-2022.
In a 2021 preview, Engadget’s Billy Steele wrote that the tool seemed unnecessary at first but proved useful after two weeks of use. “Although it seems like only Spotify fans would care about something like this, it does offer an upgrade for older cars,” our audio gear expert wrote. “I’ve never been able to get built-in voice control [the 2006 Honda] The element and ability to keep Waze on my phone and Spotify on another screen has definitely reduced the need to fiddle with either while driving.
Spotify’s official explanation for ditching its first product for devices is that it’s “part of our ongoing efforts to simplify our product offerings” (read: save money) and that it allows the streaming service to “focus on developing new features and improvements that will ultimately provide a better experience for all Spotify users.”
These new features and improvements are anyone’s guess as the company adds that it is not planning to launch a replacement product or a new version of the Car Thing. Of course, you can listen to Spotify in your car using your phone connected via Bluetooth or cable, and many drivers now have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which provide access to more than just one music app.
Spotify recommends that you factory reset your Car Thing and dispose of it after it runs out in December. The company isn’t offering any refunds or exchange options — something to keep in mind if it rolls out more limited device trials.
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