You’d be excused if you mistook the Car Thing’s plastic body for metal, given its gritty consistency and the accuracy in fit and finish. In the end, the Car Thing is just limited – even though Spotify plans to update it – and it’s no longer “free.” I’d suggest considering whether it’s worth the investment before you sign up for one. When we tried out the Car Thing, the voice control (“Hey Spotify”) seemed to be helpful, but you might not lose anything if you already have a built-in stereo that does the same thing. Additionally, the Car Thing is reliant on your phone’s Bluetooth, USB, or auxiliary cable connection to your car, so in essence, it is simply a glorified Spotify remote. It can communicate via Bluetooth and utilize your phone’s internet connection as a way to stream and control the playback of songs and podcasts from Spotify’s library. It should be noted that the Car Thing does not function as a standalone Spotify device. Considering its updated price of $79.99, it’s also worth re-evaluating what the Car Thing has to offer. Interestingly, the price of the streaming service’s product, which was once an invite-only offer, suddenly increased to $79.99 from free with paid shipping and handling.Įven though Spotify will allow anyone with a free or premium subscription account to sign up for its waitlist, you will still need a premium subscription to use the device. Anyone can sign up to be placed on this list starting today.

This is done by opening up a waitlist for those interested in buying the appliance.

It is now easier for Spotify users to get their hands on its first hardware device, the Car Thing.

Car thing spotify europe