Paired with an iOS or Android device for data and connection to the Spotify app, the Car Thing was aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers with these needs and offered a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control features, and four user-configurable buttons for fast access to areas such as favorite music, podcasts, or playlists.

It was designed to be an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player to provide a more seamless and personalized listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems or Apple CarPlay. Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. This initiative has unlocked helpful learnings, and we remain focused on the car as an important place for audio.Īnnounced in April last year, the short-lived device first went on sale in the United States in February for $89.99. Spotify Car Thing NEW - Factory sealed Ready To Ship FAST SHIPPING. Existing devices will perform as intended.

The change was announced as part of Spotify's latest earnings release for shareholders, which said that developing the Car Thing cost €31 million (approximately $32 million USD) and that its overall gross margin was 'negatively impacted by our decision to stop manufacturing Car Thing.' Spotify told TechCrunch:īased on several factors, including product demand and supply chain issues, we have decided to stop further production of Car Thing units. Despite exceeding its user growth and earnings estimates, the company still reported a net loss for the second quarter of 2022 of $197 million after sales of $2.9 billion.Spotify has unceremoniously stopped making the dash-mounted 'Car Thing,' its first hardware device, the company announced this week. More than two million people signed up, and Spotify struggled to meet demand due to ongoing chip shortages.Īs cars increasingly feature more advanced voice control and touchscreens, Spotify seems to have realised that the appeal of purchasing an extra piece of hardware has limited appeal and has decided to cut its losses. Spotify first began offering Car Thing free to some of its Premium subscribers in the US on an 'invite-only' basis in April 2021, before launching it to a 'limited' waitlist of users in October priced at $80 (around £60, AU$110).

Designed to give users a more convenient, seamless and, presumably, safer way to control Spotify while driving, Car Thing includes voice control, a large physical dial, and an onboard touchscreen.

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