Spotify is refunding Car Thing owners before bricking their devices

Spotify offers now returns to people who bought his Car Thing for $90 dashboard accessory. Although the streaming company unceremoniously discontinued its first and only hardware product in 2022, just five months after its release, that’s recent announced plans deactivate all other car stuff December 4, 2024. Users wishing to receive a refund will need to contact Spotify support and provide proof of purchase.

The minor concession comes after a group of Car Thing customers filed a class-action lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Spotify over their short-lived and now doomed accessories.

The car case was a simple external screen/remote control for Spotify application on your phone – the most attractive for drivers whose cars do not have Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. While the device was fairly simple and likely a sales failure for Spotify, it took on new life when it went on mass sale and savvy users started deploying their car stuff in non-car places, such as setups on their desks at home and on their keyboards.