Spotify has confirmed that it’s neat little Car Thing gadget has been discontinued, meaning UK drivers will never have the opportunity to buy one.
The $90 Car Thing for Spotify Premium subscribers was a neat solution for drivers without the ability to access CarPlay or Android Auto.
The device is essentially a touchscreen display that can be fitted to any car, providing voice control and media playback via a Bluetooth link (or 3.5mm connection) to your smartphone.
With “Hey Spotify” voice commands, and the ability to answer calls and control media from other apps, it made for a handy alternative to expensive after-market systems rocking CarPlay and Android Auto.
However, Car Thing is no more, with Spotify confirming to Tech Crunch that it won’t be making any more of the device, which neatly clipped to the air vents on the car dashboard.
The company said it never really intended for Car Thing to become a widely available consumer product, adding it was designed as a means of understanding how users interact with the app behind the wheel.
“The goal of Spotify’s Car Thing exploration was to better understand in-car listening, and bring audio to a wider range of users and vehicles,” a spokesperson told TechCrunch.
“Based on several factors, including product demand and supply chain issues, we have decided to stop further production of Car Thing units. Existing devices will perform as intended. This initiative has unlocked helpful learnings, and we remain focused on the car as an important place for audio.”
The admission comes following Spotify’s latest financial results. Yet another quarter has passed when the company when the company failed to address the status of the planned Spotify Hi-Fi tier, which promises CD-quality lossless audio.
It was announced in early 2021 but the company is yet to launch the feature update almost 18 months on. Spotify had hinted it had problems with securing agreements with stakeholders, but surely it shouldn’t take this long?
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