Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Spotify Stops Making Dash-Mounted 'Car Thing' Just Five Months After Launch
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Did Spotify do this and pay a sub-company they own as a tax relief? I do not believe Spotifty continuously made this decision rather somewhere someone got paid.
Most cars on the road today have bluetooth or auxiliary cable. Then those users would also use a phone holder and phone holder, where they can change music. Also use features like Hey Siri.
Then most modern cars if spec'ed correctly (I've seen basic ones too) come with CarPlay.
Most cars on the road today have bluetooth or auxiliary cable. Then those users would also use a phone holder and phone holder, where they can change music. Also use features like Hey Siri.
Then most modern cars if spec'ed correctly (I've seen basic ones too) come with CarPlay.
That’s the “supply chain issue”. They made too many and need to exit the manufacturing contract.
Clever wording.
Why not get a replacement head unit, lots of fascia adaptors out there. Then get a double din pioneer unit with CarPlay. (If your car supports a double din)
I quite like my Car Thing. My car is old and doesn't have anything Smart. It is nice to have dedicated buttons for podcasts and see artwork playing while driving. The whole "just use your phone" argument doesn't work for me because Car Mode won't start unless it's on bluetooth and I use USB aux to connect and also I use Maps in landscape while driving so I don't see the artwork and switching apps in landscape is tedious. I bought mine on eBay when they first started making them and it was worth every penny of the 99$ I paid for it.
I don't know what they were thinking, one of the most stupid things I heard about recently, almost all new cars have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, older cars has Bluetooth, who needs a chunky piece of plastic mounted on the car, paired with a phone to just listen to music while you can do it on the go, and wait, it cost $90.
Wait, so you still need a phone and car stereo to link this 'thing' to?
Umm, my iPhone, which I already have complete with Apple Music sits exactly where this 'thing' does, clipped in to the vent fins. I then BT or USB sync it direct to the car stereo in my very old 2014 Ford Fiesta. Sorted.
Elon Musk (attempting) to buy twitter was probably a more sensible waste of money.
But maybe there was another reason it flopped, read carefully:
Because the average age of a car in western Europe is 10 years, making this 'thing' pointless over here.
Umm, my iPhone, which I already have complete with Apple Music sits exactly where this 'thing' does, clipped in to the vent fins. I then BT or USB sync it direct to the car stereo in my very old 2014 Ford Fiesta. Sorted.
Elon Musk (attempting) to buy twitter was probably a more sensible waste of money.
But maybe there was another reason it flopped, read carefully:
Because the average age of a car in western Europe is 10 years, making this 'thing' pointless over here.
Last edited:
Technically late 2000s 🙂, though I think you’re technically correct. But mine is the basic model, no extra bells and whistles (not even cruise control 😭) I bought used and was fairly desperate/really needed a car so I wasn’t too worried about extra features. Initially I used an aux cable with adapter on my iPhone, then the aux cable crapped out and I opted for what I have now since my car has 2 lighter ports (don’t know what they are officially called haha)
Sure thing. Why not spend 1 or 2 grand with install when 80 bucks will do the trick?
Still a no lol, maybe I will try it for free and then recycle it.
Just like Amazon Alexa Dots. 😂 I've gotten a few free on some deal and then turned them right around and got money for them on a recycle.
In some ways, the iPhone was a far longer shot with more question marks in its future than this. Failed products and successful products make it to production in exactly the same way… the market determines if the risk was worth it.
Hardly.
The iPhone built on an already successful line of products (the iPod), and branched into a growing market that was gaining popularity (smartphones).
This was a niche gimmick thats function overlapped significantly with the device that was required to use it.
In hindsight, yes, but there’s no end of the ink spilled regarding Apple’s folly at the time. And, as with all products, successful or failed, the market determines if the risk was worth it.
Car Thing is soon to become No Thing as of December of 2024. I’m sure the EU will step in, though, and make sure all the buyers, ESPECIALLY the ones in the EU, are properly recompensed.
You went out of your way to find a two year old article and post a completely unrelated comment about the EU? The EU has really gotten to you, hasn't it?