Spotify Announces the 'Car Thing' as its First Hardware Device

by

Spotify has today announced its first hardware device, the "Car Thing," which is an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player (via TechCrunch).

spotify car thing 1
Spotify is looking to provide a product for customers who want a "more seamless" and personalized in-car listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems.

The Car Thing is aimed at Spotify Premium subscribers with these needs and features a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control features, and four user-configurable buttons for fast access to areas such as favorite music, podcasts, or playlists.

The user interface takes cues from the Spotify mobile app so that it is familiar to users, and there is the choice of touch controls, "Hey Spotify" voice commands, or physical navigation via the knob. The Car Thing works over Bluetooth, or via an AUX or USB cable, and there are a variety of mounts that come with the device to ensure that it fits to the dashboard correctly.

spotify car thing 2 1
The device comes with three different types of dash and vent mounts to choose from, a car charger, and a USB-C cable.

Initially, the Car Thing will be made available for free for a limited period, with selected users only needing to pay for the cost of shipping. This is apparently because Spotify still sees the Car Thing as somewhat experimental.

When it reaches its full public release, the Car Thing will be available for $79.99, but it is as yet unclear when the retail release will take place.

Car Thing is now being offered on an invite-only basis via its website to U.S. Spotify Premium subscribers with a smartphone, where interested users can sign up to the waiting list.

Tag: Spotify

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
Read Full Article • 100 comments
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
Read Full Article
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
Read Full Article • 131 comments
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
Read Full Article • 54 comments
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
Read Full Article • 26 comments
macbook pro blue green

M5 MacBook Pro No Longer Coming in 2025

Thursday July 10, 2025 12:38 pm PDT by
Apple does not plan to refresh any Macs with updated M5 chips in 2025, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Updated MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models are now planned for the first half of 2026. Gurman previously said that Apple would debut the M5 MacBook Pro models in late 2025, but his newest report suggests that Apple is "considering" pushing them back to 2026. Apple is now said to be...
Read Full Article • 92 comments
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
Read Full Article • 243 comments
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive These Five Perks

Wednesday July 9, 2025 9:20 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, did you know that Apple offers you five perks beyond the extra storage space, at no additional cost? Here are the perks included with all iCloud+ plans:Private Relay keeps your Safari browsing history entirely private from network providers, websites, and even Apple. Hide My Email generates unique, random email addresses whenever needed. Hom...
Read Full Article • 52 comments

Top Rated Comments

genovelle Avatar
genovelle
56 months ago
This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
hlfway2anywhere Avatar
hlfway2anywhere
56 months ago

This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.
The funny thing is that this device requires a smartphone with internet and the latest Spotify version. So this is literally aimed at people who could just mount their phone.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
56 months ago

I wish all of these TECH companies would come up with their own ideas and stop copying Apple! No thanks, I use my iPhone for that!
Copying Apple? Where's this Apple branded in-car dash-mounted device for listing to music and podcasts that connects via Bluetooth or an AUX or USB cable?

Next, you're going to tell me SiriusXM is copying Apple with their in-car devices ('https://shop.siriusxm.com/radios/vehicle/') :rolleyes:
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
reubs Avatar
reubs
56 months ago
This seems very much like an April Fool's gag that got posted too late.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Rudy69 Avatar
Rudy69
56 months ago
Yet we still don't have offline playback on Apple Watch.....guys come on!
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sw1tcher Avatar
sw1tcher
56 months ago

This must be for the 7 people still young enough to drive, but still have a flip phone.

As much as I enjoy Spotify, I cannot see the target market for it. If somebody already has a smartphone, Spotify is already on it and most probably already integrated in the car in some form. ??‍♂️
How does one listen to Spotify if they're driving an older car with an old radio/no infotainment system?

2nd sentence of this post...

Spotify is looking to provide a product for customers who want a "more seamless" and personalized in-car listening experience, especially in the large number of cars that do not support modern in-car infotainment systems.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Read All Comments