Spotify
is discontinuing its “Car Thing,” the first and only device it ever made. It stopped manufacturing new
Car Thing
units two years ago, in 2022, less than a year after its introduction. Now, the streaming company has announced that it's discontinuing the Car Thing altogether, rendering it inoperable by the end of this year.
Spotify's first foray into hardware, Car Thing, was launched in 2021 as a
dashboard accessory
designed to provide users with a more convenient way to control their Spotify playback while driving.
The Car Thing initially retailed for $89.99, but the price later increased to $99.99.
Well, there is no word on how much money Spotify made from it, but the company at the time said that stopping the manufacturing would cost them $32 million.
Upon its discontinuation, those who have it will not be given any refunds, trade-ins, or even subscription credits.
Spotify says the decision to discontinue Car Thing was made "as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline [their] product offerings." The company acknowledged that the move may be disappointing for some customers. Still, it emphasised that it would allow them to focus on developing new features and enhancements for all Spotify users.
Customers who own a Car Thing are being advised to factory reset the device and dispose of it responsibly, following local
electronic waste guidelines
.
Spotify also confirmed that there are no plans to release a replacement or new version of the Car Thing. We don’t know if the company has any other new hardware. Maybe it’s the right time to bring the
HiFI
and Spotify so everyone can be happy.
English (US) ·