Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#1

Post by sowbug » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:22 PM UTC

Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued
support.spotify.com

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#2

Post by smallerfish » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:26 PM UTC

If anybody at Spotify with the influence to make it happen is reading this: please publish an open source firmware loader (or specs to build one, or similar) to allow community driven projects to be developed on this hardware. You'd gain a lot of good will by doing this.

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#3

Post by imzadi » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

So, how much did people pay for these devices that are now worthless?

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#4

Post by TheAmazingRace » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

smallerfish wrote: post #2

If anybody at Spotify with the influence to make it happen is reading this: please publish an open source firmware loader (or specs to build one, or similar) to allow community driven projects to be developed on this hardware. You'd gain a lot of good will by doing this.

Seconded! This is a huge opportunity to avoid unnecessary waste in the landfill.

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#5

Post by jmc5788 » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:29 PM UTC

smallerfish wrote: post #2

If anybody at Spotify with the influence to make it happen is reading this: please publish an open source firmware loader (or specs to build one, or similar) to allow community driven projects to be developed on this hardware. You'd gain a lot of good will by doing this.

Absolutely! It's nice hardware, and it will be sad if they all just end up in the landfill

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#6

Post by starkparker » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:33 PM UTC

imzadi wrote: post #3

So, how much did people pay for these devices that are now worthless?

$90 at release, not including the Spotify Premium subscription

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#7

Post by luxuryballs » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:34 PM UTC

I like how they don’t actually answer the “why” question, “streamlining” is not an answer. They basically said because we’re changing things and this is one of the things we’re changing. Not being snarky but imo it would have been better PR copy to just not have the question at all.

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#8

Post by djc6 » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:37 PM UTC

I've really enjoyed using the Car Thing in my 14 year old Mazda CX9. My car shows no signs of failing, so I don't anticipate replacing it anytime soon for one with Carplay.

The Car Thing is so much more convenient than unlocking iPhone with my face, opening spotify, futzing around on the phone to change songs or playlists or whatever. And its easily accessible to my passenger. Its a far better interface than phone for use in the car! Its one of the main reasons I haven't switched to Apple Music which is bundled with my cell phone plan. I guess Spotify just wants me to got to Apple Music.

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#9

Post by probably_wrong » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:38 PM UTC

> What should I do with the device?

> We recommend resetting your Car Thing to factory settings and safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.

It's not everyday that the manufacturer of a working product tells you "throw it in the trash". I wish someone would force them to make a recall instead.

Re: Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued

#10

Post by yreg » Thu, May 23, 2024, 4:40 PM UTC

luxuryballs wrote: post #7

I like how they don’t actually answer the “why” question, “streamlining” is not an answer. They basically said because we’re changing things and this is one of the things we’re changing. Not being snarky but imo it would have been better PR copy to just not have the question at all.

I think they did answer it. Streamlining means that they no longer want to spend resources on this.

They don't mind that their customers paid them for it.