DRIVERS have threatened to sue Spotify after it suddenly pulled the plug on a smart player for vehicles.
The streaming giant revealed it will chop its “Car Thing” accessory to streamline its products.
Car Thing will no longer be operational after December 9, 2024, it warned.
Anger erupted over Spotify‘s surprise announcement last Friday.
“This should be criminal,” said one fan on Facebook, while another urged “we should sue Spotify.”
“I love it when companies remove functionality from in-warranty devices,” said another user.
“Like I’m not gonna return the device or charge back.”
Car Thing – originally introduced in the U.S. for $89.99 back in February 2022 – is a Bluetooth accessory for cell phones, that plays music.
When it was brought out a few years ago, Spotify promoted it as a gadget that would provide motorists a more convenient way to operate its music streaming service while driving.
Updates introduced in 2022 enabled users to also answer phone calls on Car Thing, queue songs and podcasts, or display and control other media.
WON’T WORK
But in a major U-turn, the firm announced via its website last week that the device was being axed.
“Car Thing is our first hardware product that allows users to control Spotify through car speakers when connected to a phone by using both voice recognition and preset buttons,” its statement began.
“We have made the decision to discontinue Car Thing. This means that (the device) will no longer be operational.
“This decision wasn’t made lightly, and we want to assure you that our commitment to providing a superior listening experience remains unchanged.
“We acknowledge and deeply appreciate the support and enthusiasm you have shown for Car Thing.
“It has been an incredible journey, and we are grateful for all the miles we’ve shared.”
As of now, there are no plans to release a replacement or new version of Car Thing
Spotify
“Spotify is bricking devices they sold to consumers because they will not be supporting them after 2024; their advice is to ‘dispose’ of the devices,” said Dexerto, an entertainment media group.
“We got to the point where you don’t own your software, hardware is designed to fail and now Spotify might as well just send a dude to break into your car and smash this thing with a brick,” agreed a video editor who works for content producer Gameplan Media.
“Holy bad customer service Batman! They should at least support it for like three years. I will never buy anything from them,” posted another annoyed fan.
“Sounds pretty useless… phone does exactly the same thing,” said one person.
In an online Q&A, Spotify said it was discontinuing Car Thing to streamline products.
“We understand it may be disappointing, but this decision allows us to focus on developing new features and enhancements that will ultimately provide a better experience to all Spotify users,” it added.
What did Spotify say about axing The Car Thing?
Car Thing discontinued
“Car Thing is our first hardware product that allows users to control Spotify through car speakers when connected to a phone by using both voice recognition and preset buttons.
“We have made the decision to discontinue Car Thing.
“This means that Car Thing will no longer be operational. This decision wasn’t made lightly, and we want to assure you that our commitment to providing a superior listening experience remains unchanged.
“We acknowledge and deeply appreciate the support and enthusiasm you have shown for Car Thing.
“It has been an incredible journey, and we are grateful for all the miles we’ve shared.”
For those wondering what to do with the device once it’s rendered useless from December 9, the service recommends it should be thrown away.
“We recommend resetting your Car Thing to factory settings and safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines,” it said.
“Contact your state or local waste disposal department to determine how to dispose of or recycle (it) in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
“You can still enjoy Spotify in your car and through other methods, such as using the app on your smartphone or via Bluetooth or cable connections, depending on your vehicle’s capabilities.
“As of now, there are no plans to release a replacement or new version of Car Thing. We are not offering any trade-in options.”