Spotify Discontinue Car Thing
Spotify has killed its Car Thing device, and all users can do now is get a refund for the device that has become defunct. As of December 9, 2024, Spotify bricked all units of Car Thing, and the device is no longer operable. It now seems like the end of the brief and troubled Spotify hardware-making endeavor that started with the rollout of the Car Thing back in early 2022. Spotify is now encouraging the customers who were affected by the decision to return the device for a full refund, along with contacting customer service.
A Brief Hardware Experiment
In February 2022, Spotify introduced the Car Thing, a $90 in-car accessory designed to improve music control for drivers of older vehicles without built-in infotainment systems. This device would make it easier for users to control their Spotify music without having to touch their phones and would be ideal for car owners wanting a more streamlined, voice-controlled music experience while on the road.
Car Thing was launched when the world was increasingly curious about connected car technology, and Spotify was hoping to capture the attention of drivers who wanted a simple, integrated experience for their music streaming needs. It came with a display screen, a physical dial, and voice commands that together allowed users to navigate through playlists, podcasts, and radio stations. This combination of touch controls and hands-free operation was initially appealing to those with older car models that did not have modern, integrated infotainment systems.
That optimism was short-lived, as Spotify soon realized the device’s appeal was limited. Only five months into the Car Thing’s life, production stopped due to poor sales and ongoing supply chain issues. The company kept supporting the existing Car Thing units with software updates and customer service, but less than three years after its launch, the product is now discontinued altogether.
Deactivation and Refund Process
The abrupt end to the Car Thing’s lifecycle has caused significant frustration among its small but dedicated user base. For those who own the device, powering it now prompts a notification that reads, “Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational.” The message is an unwelcome surprise for users who spent $90 on a product that no longer works.
To make the discontinuation a little less painful, Spotify has provided a clear direction for the affected customers on how to get a refund. The company is willing to give a full refund to customers who can prove their purchase. The customers need to reach Spotify’s customer service by January 14, 2025, with the necessary paperwork to prove their purchase.
Spotify has also provided guidelines to customers for the environmentally correct disposal of their Car Thing devices: owners should reset the device to factory settings, wipe all personal data off of it, and then get rid of the unit in a locally acceptable manner for electronic waste.
A Risky Venture
The discontinuation of the Car Thing is a significant, yet minor, failure in Spotify’s broader strategy to expand its offerings beyond music streaming. The Car Thing was Spotify’s first foray into hardware, and it has been an example of how even tech giants can face difficulties in hardware production. The failure of the product shows the risks involved in expanding into hardware, especially in a highly competitive market like automotive technology.
For Spotify, the Car Thing was a way to reinforce its leading position in the streaming space by improving the in-car experience. The device was marketed as an easy way for Spotify users to access their favorite content while on the road, without having to use their smartphone or a fiddly infotainment system. But while the Car Thing might have sounded like a neat solution for some drivers, the short life of the product suggests there wasn’t enough demand for it in the market.
There were a number of key factors that probably led to the Car Thing’s demise. First and foremost, its price point was a possible detraction. At $90, the device was not inexpensive enough to be an impulse buy, nor was it cheap enough to draw in a large, price-sensitive audience. For those already with smartphones and Spotify on those devices, the Car Thing did not offer enough value to justify the expense.
Besides, the device could not do much. As a Spotify controller, the device did great; but for sure, this would not suffice to compete in the fast-growing automotive tech market. There was no significant upgrading of audio quality or integration of other apps, nor does it significantly improve over a smartphone when it comes to music control.
Finally, Spotify likely pulled the plug on the product due to low consumer demand and persistent logistical issues. The company had been struggling with supply chain issues since the device launched, and after five months, it became clear it would not be able to meet expectations in terms of sales. It wasn’t until 2023, and the company had long since shifted its focus away from Car Thing production that many industry experts speculated Spotify would eventually kill the product once and for all. Now, just two years since the device’s release, that prediction has been made official.
User Reactions and Refunds
When Spotify announced it was killing Car Thing, the reactions were mixed. Most customers were angry with how the company had abruptly axed the product, considering that some had spent much money buying the device. For some users, this meant not being able to use a product they had paid for, which was a disappointment, while others felt the question was why Spotify didn’t provide a longer-term solution for continuing Car Thing’s support.
The refund process, while liberal in theory, hasn’t been without its hang-ups. Some reported difficulty in submitting proof of purchase or delay in responses from customer service. Spotify has indicated that the deadline to request a refund is January 14, 2025, providing customers with more than a month to seek a resolution. However, given that the device is disabled, some users are peeved by the lack of functionality and the hassle involved in returning the product.
In response to these concerns, Spotify has reassured customers that it is committed to making the refund process as simple as possible. The company has acknowledged that the discontinuation was a disappointment for some customers but has emphasized that the decision was made to ensure its focus remains on its core business of music streaming.
The Future of Spotify’s Hardware Strategy
The failure of the Car Thing might be a warning that could reverberate into Spotify’s strategy in developing hardware in the future. With the company not ruling out future hardware products, what has been realized from Car Thing is how entering a field already dominated and with several integrations presents a great challenge. Spotify will probably need to fine-tune its hardware strategy, possibly through partnerships with existing players in the automotive or consumer electronics sectors, rather than on its own.
It should also be noted that even now, Spotify remains a giant within the digital music streaming landscape. The company’s core business is strong, and it continues to serve millions of subscribers worldwide with their need for music, podcasts, and more. The failure of the Car Thing would not likely divert Spotify’s long-term prospects, but surely it serves as a warning of the risks involved with expanding beyond one’s core competency.
Spotify has already found success in other areas, such as podcasting, and will likely continue to explore ways to innovate within the realm of digital media. However, hardware ambitions may be more measured going forward, with partnerships and software solutions taking the front seat rather than standalone products like Car Thing.
Conclusion
The discontinuation of Spotify’s Car Thing marks the end of a brief, trying chapter in the company’s history. While the device proved a failure and was not able to capture much in the way of the automotive market, Spotify’s core business remains strong, and it will likely be on this that the company will center its focus going forward. The next few weeks will be crucial for those who invested in Car Thing, with refund-seeking and device deactivation expected. As Spotify looks back on the experiment, however, its future hardware ambitions will likely be informed by the experiences of Car Thing’s blink-and-you-missed-it tenure in the marketplace.
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