
And as recently as April this year, a whole load of new functionality was added to it. However, two years later the thing – still called Car Thing – went on sale to anyone who wanted it in the US.

It was back in 2019 that Spotify first launched the gadget, initially on an invite-only basis for research purposes – the company saying that it’s first proprietary hardware product had mainly been “developed to help us learn more about how people listen to music and podcasts”. The streaming service announced in its Q2 earnings report yesterday that it has stopped manufacturing the device that allowed users to stream music in their cars. It’s still available online for now at a discounted price of $49.99.And Finally Business News Digital Spotify kills the Car Thing By Andy Malt | Published on Thursday 28 July 2022 Spotify’s Car Thing was first available as invite-only in April of last year but has since expanded access to everyone. This initiative has unlocked helpful learnings, and we remain focused on the car as an important place for audio.ĩto5Mac has previously reviewed the Spotify Car Thing and found it to be a decent device for under $100. Existing devices will perform as intended. Based on several factors, including product demand and supply chain issues, we have decided to stop further production of Car Thing units. 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. Its userbase remains high with 188 million paid subscribers, reported by Tech Crunch. While the company hasn’t found success in the hardware space, it’s doing well in software.

Stated in the release, Spotify’s gross margin was negatively impacted by the decision to stop manufacturing the Car Thing. This announcement was made during yesterday’s earnings release. Spotify is no longer making Car Thing, a dashboard accessory that makes using the streaming service easier in your vehicle.
