Spotify has officially discontinued its Car Thing accessory that provided simple and easy controls over music and playlists while driving, and it took just a month (January 14) for owners to reach out to the company and get a refund. Is giving more time than. The device began displaying its last words early today Enthusiasts mourn the loss of the device on its dedicated subreddit,
The last message on the Car Thing reads:
Car Thing has been turned off and is no longer on. Thanks for being on this journey with us, safe travels. For more information visit carthing.comContact customer service before January 14, 2025 to discuss your refund options.
spotify announced in may it was already intended Close The devices will be turned off in December, and have now been shut down. Ultimately, the company also said that it would Issue refundsBut owners will have to contact the company and provide proof of purchase to receive compensation.
For most users, the Spotify Car Thing is just another piece of e-waste that humans will have to deal with later. The company recommends resetting it to factory settings and “safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.”
However, tinkerers are finding new uses for the hardware: Car Thing can be hacked to run custom software that doesn't require Spotify's backend. As 9to5Google notesIt has a little less ability to run full-on Android, but some projects like “desk thing“They can be reused as controllers on your computer desk.