Firstly, what a name… It seems no surprise Spotify are axing a product that is called exactly what it is. Car Thing doesn’t really have much of a ring to it. But, in simple, it’s their car display and will soon be a thing of the past.
Spotify has announced that it will be shutting down its discontinued car display, Car Thing, later this year. Car Thing was first introduced in early 2021 and became available for purchase in the US in early 2022, shortly after Spotify removed the “Car View” feature.
The feature was removed from its mobile app. Although a new driving-friendly interface for Spotify has since been reintroduced, Spotify decided to discontinue Car Thing in July 2022, just months after its $90 launch. Just to be clear, this isn’t CarPlay.
Car Thing was a good concept with solid implementation, but it struggled to compete with the widespread availability of Android Auto and CarPlay. When Spotify discontinued Car Thing, they cited “product demand and supply chain issues” as the main reasons.
Spotify then went on to assure that “existing devices will perform as intended.” This is no longer the case. In an email to customers, Spotify confirmed that Car Thing will stop working entirely by December 2024. So, by the end of the year, we’ll expect change.
The streaming platform said, “We’re switching gears. As of December 9th, 2024, Car Thing will be discontinued and will stop operating.” Spotify’s support page also mentions the December 9, 2024 shutdown date and advises users to reset the device and dispose of it properly.
“We recommend resetting your Car Thing to factory settings and safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines. Contact your state or local waste disposal department to determine how to dispose of or recycle Car Thing.”
It’s unfortunate to see functional hardware being rendered useless and users being told to throw it away. However, some users have been trying to install Android on Car Thing, which might allow it to continue functioning for those willing to take the risk.
CarPlay is an option supported by plugging in your smartphone device to your car. There it will display your phone screen, and you can access Spotify via your apps. Car Thing required a separate piece of equipment. It’s not hard to see why it’s being shut down.
