Spotify Announces the 'Car Thing' as its First Hardware Device

by

Spotify has today announced its first hardware device, the "Car Thing," which is an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player (via TechCrunch).

spotify car thing 1
Spotify is looking to provide a product for customers who want a "more seamless" and personalized in-car listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems.

The Car Thing is aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers with these needs and features a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control features, and four user-configurable buttons for fast access to areas such as favorite music, podcasts, or playlists.

The user interface takes cues from the Spotify mobile app so that it is familiar to users, and there is the choice of touch controls, "Hey Spotify" voice commands, or physical navigation via the knob. The Car Thing works over Bluetooth, or via an AUX or USB cable, and there are a variety of mounts that come with the device to ensure that it fits to the dashboard correctly.

spotify car thing 2 1
The device comes with three different types of dash and vent mounts to choose from, a car charger, and a USB-C cable.

Initially, the Car Thing will be made available for free for a limited period, with selected users only needing to pay for the cost of shipping. This is apparently because Spotify still sees the Car Thing as somewhat experimental.

When it reaches its full public release, the Car Thing will be available for $79.99, but it is as yet unclear when the retail release will take place.

Car Thing is now being offered on an invite-only basis via its website to U.S. Spotify Premium subscribers with a smartphone, where interested users can sign up to the waiting list.

Tag: Spotify

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Thumb 1

iPhone SE 4 With Apple's Own 5G Modem 'Confirmed' to Launch in March

Tuesday November 19, 2024 12:12 pm PST by
Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley and his colleagues recently traveled to Asia to meet with various electronics manufacturers and suppliers. In a research note this week, outlining key takeaways from the trip, the analysts said they have "confirmed" that a fourth-generation iPhone SE with an Apple-designed 5G modem is slated to launch towards the end of the first quarter next year. In line with previo...
Read Full Article • 131 comments
at t turbo indicator iphone 16 pro max v0 8hrh7w5f3w1e1

AT&T Turbo Indicator Showing Up in iPhone Status Bar for Subscribers

Wednesday November 20, 2024 3:42 am PST by
AT&T has begun displaying "Turbo" in the iPhone carrier label for customers subscribed to its premium network prioritization service, according to reports on Reddit. The new indicator seems to have started appearing after users updated to iOS 18.1.1, but that could be just coincidence. Image credit: Reddit user No_Highlight7476 The Turbo feature provides enhanced network performance through ...
Read Full Article • 105 comments
anker new xmas 1

Anker Kicks Off Massive Black Friday Sale With Up to 50% Off Sitewide, Free Gifts With Purchase, Mystery Boxes, and More

Thursday November 21, 2024 7:53 am PST by
Anker today kicked off its big Black Friday sale, which is set to run through December 9. This sale includes notable discounts on portable chargers, USB-C hubs, cables, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. There are a few bonus offers during this event as ...
Read Full Article • 22 comments
General Black Friday Deals 24 Green Tinsel

Apple Black Friday Deals Available Now: AirPods, iPads, and More

Friday November 22, 2024 5:28 am PST by
We're officially just one week away from Black Friday, which will take place on Friday, November 29 in 2024. As always, this week is the best time of the year to shop for great deals, including popular Apple products like AirPods, iPad, Apple Watch, and more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small...
Read Full Article • 28 comments
Apple 2024 Black Friday Shopping Event feature

Apple Announces 2024 Black Friday Event, Offering Up to $200 Gift Card

Thursday November 21, 2024 5:10 am PST by
Apple's annual four-day Black Friday through Cyber Monday shopping event is returning on Friday, November 29 through Monday, December 2 in many countries, including the U.S., Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the U.K., and others. During the event, customers can get an Apple gift card with the purchase of an eligible product. In the U.S., for instance, Apple is including gift ...
Read Full Article • 62 comments
apple card feature2

Apple Card 3% Daily Cash Back Now Available From Two More Apple Partners

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:36 am PST by
Apple has partnered with select merchants to offer Apple Card users three percent Daily Cash back on their purchases, and two new companies were added to the partner list today. When purchasing goods and services from Booking.com and ChargePoint, Apple Card users will now get more cash back. Booking.com is a site for reserving flights, cars, cruises, and hotels, while ChargePoint sells...
Read Full Article • 12 comments
15 inch m3 macbook air

Amazon Takes Up to $300 Off M3 MacBook Air With New All-Time Low Prices

Wednesday November 20, 2024 7:05 am PST by
Amazon today has knocked the price off of multiple M3 MacBook Air models, with as much as $300 off select computers. Prices start at $849.00 for the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (16GB RAM/256GB), and also include multiple 15-inch models as well. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site ...
Read Full Article • 22 comments
Generic iOS 18 Feature Real Mock

Apple Releases iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 With Security Fixes

Tuesday November 19, 2024 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that debuted earlier in September. iOS 18.1.1 and iPadOS 18.1.1 come three weeks after the launch of iOS 18.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Apple has also released iOS 17.7.2 for...
Read Full Article • 29 comments

Top Rated Comments

genovelle Avatar
genovelle
47 months ago
This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hlfway2anywhere Avatar
hlfway2anywhere
47 months ago

This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.
The funny thing is that this device requires a smartphone with internet and the latest Spotify version. So this is literally aimed at people who could just mount their phone.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
47 months ago

I wish all of these TECH companies would come up with their own ideas and stop copying Apple! No thanks, I use my iPhone for that!
Copying Apple? Where's this Apple branded in-car dash-mounted device for listing to music and podcasts that connects via Bluetooth or an AUX or USB cable?

Next, you're going to tell me SiriusXM is copying Apple with their in-car devices ('https://shop.siriusxm.com/radios/vehicle/') :rolleyes:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reubs Avatar
reubs
47 months ago
This seems very much like an April Fool's gag that got posted too late.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rudy69 Avatar
Rudy69
47 months ago
Yet we still don't have offline playback on Apple Watch.....guys come on!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
47 months ago

This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.

As much as I enjoy Spotify, I cannot see the target market for it. If somebody already has a smartphone, Spotify is already on it and most probably already integrated in the car in some form. ??‍♂️
How does one listen to Spotify if they're driving an older car with an old radio/no infotainment system?

2nd sentence of this post...

Spotify is looking to provide a product for customers who want a "more seamless" and personalized in-car listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments