Earlier today, the popular audio streaming service, Spotify, announced the limited U.S. release of its first hardware device that is oddly named the ‘Car Thing’. This device is aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers and will be available on an invite-only basis initially.
This device, initially spotted in 2019, also appeared in certain codes in Apple’s iOS. While talking about the Car Thing, Spotify explained that it is all about solving a need for customers who want a “more seamless” and personalized in-car listening experience.
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Most cars nowadays support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but Spotify points out that the average age of a car in the U.S. is actually 11 years old and the average lifetime of cars is 18 years. Hence, there are still a large number of cars on the road that don’t support modern, in-car infotainment systems.
Design and Construction
The Spotify Car Thing looks like a smartphone with a huge knob stuck to its display. The device comes with a big, grippable knob for navigation and four preset buttons at the top for favorite music, podcasts, or playlists. Users can change what the buttons do.
The device weighs 3.4 oz. and measure 4.6 x 2.5 x 0.7 inches.
The company neither revealed the size of the display nor information about the type of display panel used. However, we believe it is an LCD panel.
The device ships with three different types of dash and vent mounts which can be used to mount Car Thing to your dashboard. It also ships with a car charger and USB-C cable.
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Other features
The Spotify Car Thing can be set up via Bluetooth or an AUX or USB cable depending on your preference. The user interface is pretty much similar to the Spotify mobile app. Hence, the learning curve will most likely be low. Moreover, at launch, Car Thing will walk you through a quick tour, where it explains how to get started.
You can also use voice to interact with the screen. To activate the device, all you have to say is ‘Hey Spotify’. This lets you speak your requests directly to Spotify by asking for a song, album, artist, playlist, station or podcast, which Car Thing “hears” with its four microphones at the top.
Pricing and Availability
Spotify Car Thing carries a retail price of $80 but the company is yet to set a timeline for when it will go on sale. For now, it is available for Spotify Premium subscribers in the US for free on an invite-only basis through carthing.spotify.com.
