I have to start this off here: To create something, only to turn it into a brick... is a D-Bag move. That's a cold hearted shrug in regards to this product potentially ending up in a landfill. I don't see a person simply tossing this out, they may try to get some use out of it in some form, but when its bricked its done... unless someone can crack it with an unapologetic middle finger.
I'm sure Spotify wouldn't like that, but the owners of the device don't appreciate this deactivation crap.
This nifty... cool... eye catching... Spotify Car Thing will be a light paperweight after December 9, 2024. Why? Why can't there simply be an update to turn this thing into a stand alone device that gives supporters... access to spotify? Talk about burning customers. This will not leave a good taste in the mouth of anyone who purchased this. No one pays money on a product to simply have a rug pulled from under them. That's that BS... and it's one of the reasons some tech enthusiasts are paranoid about supporting certain compnaies and their hardware. Is Spotify now on that list? If they don't pivot away from this selfish decision... I believe they will be, and they'd only have themselves to blame.
Proprietary hardware always runs the risk of that company going out of business one day... leaving nothing for that hardware to connect to. It's usually a safer option to get an audio device that doesn't lock you in like that so you can use it freely + add a memory card of sorts and enjoy it that way (if it allows such). Even the least understanding person would understand if a company was going belly up and the device would no longer be supported (as a proprietary hardware), but... that's not Spotify's position.
Spotify explained their decision to discontinue Car Thing, stating, “We’re discontinuing Car Thing as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings.” Ladies and Gentlemen, that's a poor ass excuse to screw over customers. An extremely poor ass excuse. Like... WTF?!
If a company burns customers like Spotify plans to do people who purchased Car Thing, forget about these customers buying anymore hardware from Spotify unless it's completely standalone with a Spotify sign-in option. They may even go out of their way to not buy Spotify's first party hardware... regardless of the safety net being added. It doesn't stop there, because word of mouth gets out and a burned customer will tell other potential buyers to beware. That tarnishes a brand, and customers bought the Spotify Car Thing for $89.99... that's nearly 100 freaking bucks only to have the rug pulled from under them. That's a slap in the face with an expectation for you to understand. On top of that... it required a Spotify Premium Subscription.
Spotify went on to say, "We understand it may be disappointing, but this decision allows us to focus on developing new features and enhancements that will ultimately provide a better experience to all Spotify users." Like I said, poor... ass... excuse and I don't think most supporters will accept it. Create a gen 2 or provide a solid firmware update for the device that can allow them to sign-in. It's worth it.
You'll love this (totally being sarcastic)... Spotify recommends that you take your device, reset it to the factory settings and dispose of it safely following local electronic waste guidelines. While I do appreciate the instructions over it just being tossed on the ground somewhere, it's like... how dare they try and recommend how you dispose of something thats working because they don't want the product to be active anymore?
If you want to try and request a refund, this link was provided by Spotify. Good luck! As for the developers, this is another reminder of what not to do, because poor decisions can certainly come back to haunt you.
There are options out there like the two you see below (connect your phone):
Bluetooth 5.0 / AUX port / USB drive / Micro SD (a OneTreePlanted member)
Bluetooth / Apple Carplay / Android Auto / Spotify / Pandora / Waze / Video / Etc.
