Spotify is discontinuing Car Thing, a car thing you probably haven’t heard of

It’s not uncommon for corporations to release niche products then discontinue them later on. After all, these experiments help the companies learn and collect relevant data that could improve their popular services and offerings. Spotify Car Thing is a thing that you attach to your car. It acts as a dashboard for accessing and controlling your Spotify playback when driving. Think of it as Apple CarPlay or Android Auto — but only for the specific music streaming service behind it. It has a touch screen, Hey Spotify voice control, preset physical buttons, a dial, and more. It’s designed to help you control Spotify while focusing on the road. If you reside in the United Sates and are a fan of this thing, now’s your last chance to grab one. The company has announced that it will be killing this product, and the leftover units are currently on sale.

“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. Based on several factors, including product demand and supply chain issues, we have decided to stop further production of Car Thing units. Existing devices will perform as intended. This initiative has unlocked helpful learnings, and we remain focused on the car as an important place for audio.”

If you’re interested in this device, you can buy a Car Thing for $50 — instead of the regular $90 price tag. The company mentions that Car Thing will continue to work even after it stops selling it. Notably, though, you need a Spotify Premium account to use it. So if you’re a free member, either skip this purchase or subscribe to one of the company’s paid plans.

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