The Persistence of Spotify's In-Car Concept Remains Due to Dedicated Tinkerers' Efforts
The Persistence of Spotify's In-Car Concept Remains Due to Dedicated Tinkerers' Efforts
Spotify's Car Thing has reached its end of life. Long live Spotify's Car Thing! Yesterday marked the final day for utilizing the Car Thing as intended by Spotify, serving as a substitute for accessing playlists and podcasts in older vehicles without a head unit. However, tech enthusiasts have found a way to keep the spirit of Spotify's Car Thing alive.
Individuals in the official Car Thing subreddit and beyond the web have discovered methods to bypass the problematic startup screen that prevents access to a device they purchased for $80-$120 not so long ago. Post-expiration, some Car Thing devices have become obsolete, showing a farewell screen instead. There are a couple of ways to skirt the farewell screen or avoid it altogether, keeping the malfunctioning device functional with sufficient effort.
According to Android Authority, some users managed to bypass the discontinuation screen by canceling the device update. I dug out the Car Thing I reviewed three years ago for this article and can still utilize the interface without any issues. Even Spotify's voice service occasionally provided assistance. Other users have managed to leap the farewell screen by pressing the settings button, back button, and the first preset button during boot-up.
The primary advice from the community is to avoid connecting the Car Thing to the internet. At the same time, Spotify urges customers to contact customer service to discuss potential refund options by January 14, 2025. I am interested in what they might offer me given we bought the device to review it in 2021. Gizmodo has reported that the company offers premium subscriptions instead of full refunds in certain instances. Contact has been made to Spotify for further clarification.
What should you do if you own a Car Thing that no longer functions? You can explore the tinkering community for potential solutions. I stumbled upon Desk Thing, which allows you to place the Car Thing on a desk for quick media access convenience. Glance Thing adds app shortcuts and additional Spotify controls. Nocturne also offers an alternative Car Thing interface, all requiring some jailbreaking skills and command-line knowledge. I tried diving into fixes but required focus during work hours. Another feasible option is this random third-party dongle, mentioned in a Car Thing hacking subreddit comment, which adds button and knob functionality if you already have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Tinkerers in online communities have found ways to bypass the discontinuation screen on some Car Things, allowing users to continue using their devices. Future tech enthusiasts might be interested in repurposing their Car Things with projects like Desk Thing, Glance Thing, and Nocturne, which require jailbreaking skills and command-line knowledge.