Spotify Car Thing will be discontinued
Spotify’s decision to shut down support for its “Car Thing” dashboard controller, rendering units inoperable two years after launch, has triggered anger over waste, ownership, and trust in connected hardware. Commenters argue that bricking a paid device rather than keeping minimal backend services running or open‑sourcing the firmware is environmentally irresponsible and possibly a consumer‑rights issue, with some calling for legislation mandating minimum cloud support lifetimes or forced unlocking at end‑of‑life. Many say the move undermines confidence in Spotify’s broader product strategy and pushes them toward rival music services or self‑hosted alternatives.
Device shutdown & user impact
- Many are angry that Spotify isn’t just discontinuing sales, but fully bricking a working device and telling owners to dispose of it.
- Owners report buying it as recently as 6 months ago and using it happily in older cars or even as a desktop controller.
- The voice control is widely praised as fast and accurate, better than Google Assistant and the old in‑app Spotify voice feature.
- Some note the device is effectively just a controller; music comes from the phone, so they see no technical need to kill it.
Refunds, consumer rights & legal angles
- Several argue this should be illegal: if cloud services are required, minimum support lifetimes (e.g., 5+ years) should be mandated and advertised.
- Others suggest courts and consumer protection laws (UK, NZ, etc.) might already require refunds if a device fails “unreasonably” early.
- Reports in other communities suggest full refunds are sometimes being granted; PayPal disputes are time‑barred.
- Small claims court and state attorneys general are mentioned as possible paths.
Open-sourcing, hacking, and e‑waste
- Strong sentiment that Spotify should release firmware, unlock bootloaders, or at least publish specs so the community can repurpose the hardware.
- Multiple links show the device is already rootable, runs a stripped‑down Android/Chromium, and can even run Debian.
- Commenters view the “throw it away” guidance as environmentally irresponsible; some call for legislation forcing unlocks at end‑of‑life.
Product design, value, and competition
- Original price around $90; later sold for $20–30, which some took as an EOL signal.
- Critics say it was always redundant versus phone mounts or modern head units with CarPlay/Android Auto.
- Supporters argue it filled a niche: older cars without modern systems, tactile controls, excellent voice UX.
Trust in Spotify and broader concerns
- Several subscribers say this reinforces distrust of Spotify’s roadmap and hardware offerings; some cancel or plan to switch to alternatives (e.g., Apple Music, Tidal, self‑hosted like Navidrome).
- The case is cited as part of a wider problem: proprietary, cloud‑dependent devices, locked bootloaders, and capitalism’s incentives leading to e‑waste and poor long‑term support.