Spotify briefly set out on the road as a hardware company, releasing the Car Thing gadget, a device that acts as a Spotify remote and can be attached to a car’s air vent.
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Car Thing was not a success: The $90 product was available for just five months after an invite-only test and subsequent waitlist in April 2021. Car Thing went on general sale in February 2022, but was discontinued less than five months later.
Car Thing initially seemed like a good idea, but ended up being just a Spotify remote control for your phone, which drastically reduced the number of users interested, but still made it into the hands of a very niche audience.
Unfortunately, Car Thing owners are being told by Spotify to factory reset their devices and dispose of them responsibly, as the company plans to stop selling Car Thing after December 9, 2024.Operation will cease“Spotify” I wrote in the FAQ Spotify announced on its website that “as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product lineup, we will discontinue selling Car Thing,” stating bluntly that a new generation of Car Thing will not be released.
“At this time, we have no plans to release a replacement or new version of Car Thing.Spotify writes:
Spotify is not offering refunds or subscription credits to people who bought Car Thing, and the device will stop working after December 9. Instead, Spotify is urging buyers to dispose of their Car Thing responsibly.