Spotify Car Thing: A Complete Timeline of Its Short-Lived Hardware Adventure
Spotify's Car Thing journey lasted from announcement to discontinuation over a five-year period, marking the company's first and unsuccessful venture into hardware. Here's the complete timeline of events:
Car Thing timeline from launch to discontinuation
Initial Launch and Development (2019-2021):
- May 2019: Announced as a data-gathering experiment for select Premium subscribers
- April 2021: Redesigned version revealed with waitlist access and $79.99 price tag
- October 2021: Commercial release begins for Premium subscribers
Commercial Period (2022):
- February: Price increased to $89.99 for all Premium subscribers
- June: Summer sale reduces price to $50
- July: Production stops due to poor sales
- August: Final clearance at $30 with updated green packaging
- October: Device rooted by security researchers; Spotify declares it end-of-life
Final Phase (2024):
- May 23: Spotify announces support ends December 9, 2024
- May 31: Refund program launched for verified purchases
- December 9: API shutdown, rendering devices non-functional
Spotify discontinues Car Thing hardware device
Refund Details:
- Available only for verified purchases with serial numbers
- Refunds issued in $12 installments
- Third-party purchases ineligible
- Program implemented following class action lawsuit
Spotify Car Thing device display screen
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