While many will undoubtedly stick with using their phones for playing music while on the road, for others, Car Thing could end up being a useful remote for controlling music playback during long stretches behind the wheel. For anyone that spends significant amounts of time in their vehicle, whether it be for commutes, road trips, or other purposes, being able to quickly browse and select one's favorite music or podcasts is likely to come in handy.Īlthough Car Thing is an attempt by Spotify to make it easier for users to play their favorite content, it can't be faulted for that.
Car thing spotify android#
Car Thing does intend to make it easier for users to access audio content, thanks to features like a physical dial and the ability to use the wake phrase at any time ( iOS and Android devices can only use the feature when the Spotify app is pulled up). Paying an extra $80 for similar results just won't make sense. From a broad perspective, Car Thing simply shares too many of the same qualities that can already be found in most modern smartphones. Car Thing May Make Sense For Someįor many Spotify Premium users, it's likely that the Car Thing won't quite move the needle the way Spotify thinks it will. Outside of the dial and the presets, a smartphone paired with Spotify and a cheap car mount could potentially be a cost-saving alternative to the Car Thing. Spotify lists key selling points of Car Thing as voice control via " Hey Spotify," a physical dial for hands-on browsing, a touch-screen display, and preset buttons to access favorites quickly. For those combined costs, the Car Thing sure seems to share a lot of functionality as a smartphone outfitted with the service. The question now is, will Spotify's Car Thing actually be worth it? The smart player - which connects to a user's car stereo through a smartphone and by either using Bluetooth, USB or AUX cables - will reportedly cost $80 when it fully launches, and requires a Spotify Premium subscription to work.
Car thing spotify how to#
Related: Spotify's New Mixes Explained: How To Use Playlist Changes Sure enough, the Car Thing is here, though in the form of a limited release in the U.S.
In addition, with last week's soft reveal of the " Hey Spotify" app-specific voice assistant for Spotify - a feature that was rumored to be directly connected to the rollout of Car Thing - a product unveiling seemed more inevitable than ever before. The announcement marks a rare product launch for Spotify, which is mostly known for being one of the world's top music streaming services. However, the company maintains that this new product creates a seamless music experience that many users were asking for.Ĭar Thing has not been Spotify's best kept secret, following multiple reports of its existence, and even images having been spotted in the Spotify app's code. The moderator also says that users can link Spotify and Google accounts to control the app via voice.Spotify has finally, officially revealed Car Thing, its car-focused smart music player that helps users easily access their favorite music, podcasts and more. Spotify subscribers can listen to hands-free music by using Google Assistant. It is not clear whether the feature is being removed from both Android and Apple. “Think of retiring car-view as something that needs to happen in an effort to make way for new innovations coming down the track,” the moderator posted. He also says that the company is actively exploring new ways to deliver the best in-car listening experience. Unboxing + Setup + Walkthrough of Spotify Car Thing To get your Car Thing go join the waitlist (Premium USA only). Replying to those messages, a moderator confirmed that the music streaming service is “retiring the car view feature”. Several users started to highlight the absence of the Car View feature on a Spotify community forum thread. It may feature the short videos shared by artists or users. Meanwhile, Spotify is also claimed to be working on a TikTok-like vertical video feed in its app.
The moderator says that the company is “exploring new ways to deliver the best in-car listening experience”. The feature offered users relevant information and a simplified interface allowing them to control music playback using large buttons while driving.
Spotify Car View driving-friendly feature is being retired, as per moderator on a community thread.