Spotify to Discontinue Car Thing Device, Rendering Units Inoperable by December 2024

Highlights

• Spotify will discontinue its Car Thing device on December 9, 2024.
• The Car Thing was initially launched to provide a driver-friendly music control display.
• Existing Car Thing units will become inoperable after the discontinuation date.
• Users are advised to reset devices to factory settings and dispose of them per e-waste guidelines.

Spotify will discontinue its abandoned Car Thing car display later this year, effectively bricking any remaining units in use.

Spotify introduced the Car Thing device early in 2021 as a driver-friendly display for controlling music playback in a car.

It went on sale in the United States in early 2022, months after Spotify dropped the “Car View” feature from its mobile app.

Spotify Car Thing is a relic of the past

While Spotify had brought back a driving-friendly UI for its mobile app, it decided to discontinue the $90 Car Thing device in July 2022, just months after it launched.

In 9to5Mac’s Car Thing review, they found it to be well-executed, with a good idea—a little troubled to justify the existence with Android Auto and CarPlay now common in vehicles.

The Spotify Car Thing was axed last year, with the company citing “product demand and supply chain issues” as main reasons behind the decision.

It, however, promised users that “existing devices will perform as intended.”

That no longer remains the case.

Timeline of Discontinuation

Spotify has now informed customers via email that it intends to discontinue Car Thing operations entirely, rendering any remaining units inoperable beginning December 9, 2024.

In the email, Spotify explicitly states: “We’re switching gears.

As of December 9th, 2024, Car Thing will be discontinued, and will stop operating.”

Spotify reiterates this December 9, 2024, date on a support page and indicates to users that once the Car Thing devices become useless, they should reset the devices to their factory settings and dispose of them according to local e-waste guidelines.

While it’s sad to see functional hardware be bricked intentionally, some users have found a way to install Android on the Car Thing, which could mean the device lives on with a new operating system if one is willing to take the risk.

FAQs

What is Spotify Car Thing?

Spotify Car Thing is a driver-friendly display device introduced by Spotify in 2021 for controlling music playback in cars.

Why is Spotify discontinuing the Car Thing?

Spotify cited “product demand and supply chain issues” as the main reasons for discontinuing the Car Thing in July 2022.

When will the Car Thing devices stop working?

Car Thing devices will become inoperable on December 9, 2024.

What should users do with their Car Thing devices after discontinuation?

Users are advised to reset their Car Thing devices to factory settings and dispose of them according to local e-waste guidelines.

Is there any way to keep using the Car Thing after the discontinuation?

Some users have found a way to install Android on the Car Thing, which might allow the device to continue functioning with a new operating system.

Why did Spotify initially create the Car Thing?

Spotify created the Car Thing to offer a dedicated, driver-friendly interface for music control in vehicles, especially after discontinuing the “Car View” feature in its mobile app.

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