For the first time, Spotify is launching its own hardware, an infotainment gadget oddly and succinctly named "Car Thing."
With Car Thing, Spotify aims to make life (streaming) easier and quicker for you, and the device forms part of a bigger plan to make its streaming more streamlined.
Car Thing is designed for all users, no matter what car you drive, and to help you find, play, and enjoy your favorite audio content quicker while on the road.
What Is Spotify's Car Thing?
Car Thing acts as a remote for streaming your Spotify content from your smartphone while in your car. The device is a smart player for your car that allows you to listen to your music, podcasts, and more.
With Americans being so busy and constantly on the move, there is a growing demand for quick, convenient solutions to everyday needs—including our entertainment needs. This explains why there are more than 70 million user-generated, driving-related playlists on Spotify.
However, even with so many of these playlists available, Spotify stated that its customers were still "missing out on a seamless and personalized in-car listening experience."
The company, therefore, identified an opportunity to provide customers with Car Thing, Spotify's solution that provides you with a more holistic listening experience.
Through Car Thing, Spotify aims to give you the perfect companion for your journey on the road by providing you with a seamless streaming experience from the moment you enter your car.
How to Get Spotify's Car Thing
After initially launching Car Thing to selected, eligible listeners on an invite-only basis, the device is now available to more users in the U.S. for $89.99, beginning February 22, 2022.
You can buy Spotify's Car Thing directly from Spotify's Car Thing page, as long as you're on Spotify's Premium subscription plan. You also need to have a smartphone with an internet connection (be that Wi-Fi or through your mobile data plan) to use the device.
How to Use Spotify's Car Thing
If you're lucky enough to get your hands on Car Thing, here's how to use the device's most essential features.
1. Easily Access Your Library With Voice Controls
Much like the voice assistants you're accustomed to, such as Apple's Siri and Amazon's Alexa, or even your own car's infotainment system, Spotify's voice search helps you find and play anything you fancy. Whether it's a song, album, artist, playlist, station, or podcast, simply say "Hey Spotify," then tell it exactly what you want it to do.
For example, "Hey Spotify, play my favorites," or "Hey Spotify, shuffle today's top hits." Spotify has ensured that Car Thing will be able to hear what you're saying, even when your volume is high or your windows down, by placing four microphones along the top of the device.
2. Use the Dial for a Hands-on Way to Navigate Songs
If you're a bit old school and prefer to select the type of audio you want to listen to manually, or if you simply want to be more hands-on and navigate your Spotify library yourself, try using the dial instead of voice control.
You probably know where to find the music and podcasts you want to listen to, so, by using the dial, you can quickly curate the playlist you need to get you wherever you're headed. Use the dial to browse, select, play, or pause, and discover the audio you're looking for with ease and speed.
3. View the Touchscreen Display to See What's Playing
Much like many car infotainment systems, Car Thing is interactive, allowing you to view and navigate your Spotify library using the touch screen and to view results from voice search. You can also swipe to browse further or skip, or tap to play.
4. Choose Four Preset Buttons
Because you use Car Thing while you're on the go, the device comes with buttons to help save you time. Simply get into your car, select a button, and start listening to your favorite content while you drive.
Is Spotify Investing in Hardware?
You may be wondering if Spotify is officially entering and competing in the hardware market through this new offering. The answer is no. Spotify has reinforced that it remains committed to becoming the world's leading audio platform.
The company stated that its focus was not on creating a hardware device, but rather on creating a solution; a seamless in-car listening experience that is tailored for you, providing you with a wide variety of audio content in the comfort of your car—no matter what car you drive, and even if your car does not have a robust infotainment system.
As stated in a post on For the Record:
No matter the year or model of your vehicle, we feel everyone should have a superior listening experience. With Car Thing, we’ll now be bringing our entire catalogue of music and podcasts to a wider range of users across an even wider range of vehicles.
It's Not Meant to Compete With In-Car Infotainment Systems
Spotify states that it is not attempting to compete with your car's infotainment system, but that Car Thing is simply another step in its larger ubiquity strategy—creating a "frictionless audio experience" for its users, wherever they are and however they choose to listen.
As Sten Garmark, Spotify's VP of Product, stated in a post on For the Record:
It’s to take whatever moment you’re in—if you’re driving, in your home, if you’re on your headphones, if you’re exercising—and make sure that you can get to your Spotify experience as easily and as quickly as possible.
The end state here is to ensure that Spotify aligns more deeply with the multiple devices in your life so that you won’t need to find the songs or podcasts to suit the moment—they will find you.
Car Thing Delivers an Enhanced In-Car Listening Experience
It seems like Spotify has got the right idea about streamlining its overall experience and providing a handy solution for quicker, more convenient, and more efficient streaming in your car.
While your phone may do the job just fine, Car Thing can enhance your listening experience by giving you more ease, comfort, and control as you listen to your favorite audio content while driving.