Spotify’s Car Thing Has a Dedicated Dial
We heard whispers about this accessory in 2019, but it wouldn’t be before January of 2020 that someone spotted images of the Car Thing in the mobile Spotify app. And now, the Car Thing has been formally announced with a press release on the Spotify website.
The in-vehicle accessory can be easily mounted on the dashboard of your car.
As detailed by The Verge, the Car Thing is a lightweight device that doesn’t have a built-in speaker and requires a power connection to turn on and work.
The Car Thing also doesn’t work with other music-streaming services.
Steer to the Audio You Love
The Car Thing has a small touchscreen display and a large circular knob that lets you browse, select, play, pause, and discover music or “steer to the audio you love,” as the company puts it.
The touchscreen-enabled display shows what’s playing, stuff in your library, results from voice search, and more. With it, you can swipe to browse further or skip, or tap to play. There are also four tactile preset buttons on top for getting to your favorites faster, like the newest podcast episodes, specific playlists, stations, and more.
Don’t worry, you can customize button presets to suit your own needs.
Hands-Free Voice Control With “Hey Spotify”
Spotify’s mobile apps for iOS and Android recently picked up a “Hey Spotify” wake phrase feature that only works when the screen is turned on and the Spotify app is open. The Car Thing also features hands-free voice control via “Hey Spotify”.
Just say “Hey Spotify,” followed by your request for a song, album, artist, playlist, station, or podcast. To understand your request even with the music turned up or your car windows down, the Car Thing is outfitted with four microphones along the top.
As Spotify’s first hardware device, the Car Thing could be especially appealing to owners of older cars that don’t come equipped with infotainment systems which are compatible with Apple’s CarPlay and Google’s Android Auto software.
For further information about the Car Thing, visit carthing.spotify.com.
How Can I Purchase Spotify’s Car Thing?
As for availability, the Car Thing is currently a limited product launch.
Priced at $80, the in-car accessory is available in the US on an invite-only basis (One Car Thing per eligible subscriber, while supplies last). The device will be available free of charge, excluding shipping, to select Premium subscribers in the US.
Offer terms can be found in Spotify’s support document.
The Car Thing requires a paid Spotify Premium subscription plan plus an iPhone or Android device with Wi-Fi or mobile data connection (you need to pair the device with the Spotify app on your phone via Bluetooth for data connection). The audio accessory connects to your vehicle’s audio system via Bluetooth, AUX, or USB cable.
