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Spotify will issue refunds to those who purchased its Car Thing units. The device promised seamless connectivity to Spotify but failed miserably at gaining customers. Spotify received a ton of backlash after the music streaming platform confirmed it will brick Car Things remotely in December this year.
Spotify will brick all Car Thing units later this year
Car Thing from Spotify was supposed to be a revolutionary and simplistic product that improved the in-car listening experience of Spotify subscribers. The device was Spotify’s dedicated music streaming device for cars and commuters.
Practically, Car Thing delivered on the promise. The sleek gadget is essentially a car display with the singular aim of helping subscribers enjoy their music and podcasts on Spotify. Although Car Thing worked, it could not garner enough attention and sales.
they're discontinuing my spotify car thing and cutting support for it. it will just be a piece of junk in december https://t.co/cvroTWPMX2
— youcheatedfromtapple (@Youcheatedboss) May 30, 2024
Needless to say, Car Thing is a severely limited device that works only with Spotify. Moreover, there are a ton of other products that offer much greater functionality. Most of these devices also support third-party apps and services. Android Auto or CarPlay displays, for example, are far superior when compared to Car Thing.
Realizing the same, Spotify discontinued Car Thing soon after its launch. However, retail units continue to function.
Spotify recently confirmed the device will become non-functional starting December 9, 2024. Essentially, Spotify is killing all Car Thing devices remotely, leaving users with bricked e-waste.
just cancelled spotify since spotify said they will brick my car thing. They said "The goal of our Car Thing exploration in the U.S. was to learn more about how people listen in the car." So I paid my money to be a lab rat and no refund offered. #spotify #carthing
— MrMrWhatever (@gazaholo) May 30, 2024
Can Spotify do better than simply returning money?
Spotify officially communicated it was discontinuing the Car Thing device to customers via email. The company even posted an update on its support page.
Besides bricking a perfectly usable and functional device, Spotify even asked users to reset and safely dispose of the device. Needless to say, this caused a lot of aggravation. Many Car Thing owners expressed their dissatisfaction on social media platforms.
Thanks @Spotify this explains why my Car Thing has been acting like a piece of shit lately 😒 pic.twitter.com/ukbX6F6AGv
— Alex Robles (@alexroblesrules) May 23, 2024
There’s already a class-action lawsuit filed against Spotify. It reportedly alleges the company misled consumers by selling a product that would soon become unusable.
Spotify Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over Bricked Car
Thing https://t.co/fpgaUo0h1I— Sync Mashene | Las Vegas (@syncmashene) May 30, 2024
A few reports suggest Spotify could be issuing refunds to Car Thing buyers to address some of these concerns. Several users have pointed out the Car Thing device is still functional.
Some have urged the company to unlock or open up the device’s software. This could allow tinkerers to install custom software that supports third-party apps and services.