Spotify is facing ongoing backlash over its decision to end support for Car Thing, its in-car streaming device, announced earlier in May. The device will no longer work from December 9, 2024, the company said. On TikTok, Gen Z users are posting videos to express their displeasure with Spotify’s move and its proposed actions — like switching to Android Auto or CarPlay. Often, they didn’t have access to in-car infotainment systems in the first place, making them a target market for a niche player like Car Thing, users note.
The in-car streaming service gadget hadn’t been on the market long enough to make it obsolete. It launched in February 2022 and ceased operations later that year, but with promises to remain operational for those who had already purchased units. Ahead of its launch, Spotify CEO Danie Ek had suggested there was consumer demand for such a product, telling investors on an earnings call that more than 2 million users had signed up to the Car Thing waiting list ahead of the launch. of circulation.
Although Spotify never shared official numbers, it’s possible that Car Thing underperformed or simply wasn’t worth the continued investment in today’s tighter financial market. The latter saw Spotify lay off around 1,500 employees late last year, for example, after layoffs earlier in the year had affected hundreds.
Car Thing users, however, don’t care about the company’s financial concerns. they just want their gadget to work or at least get a refund for the $90 price tag.
This has led some to try to complain directly to Spotify via DM to X with @SpotifyCares or via various Spotify emails shared on Reddit. In doing so, some users reported that Spotify offered them several months of Premium membership to cover their loss, while others claimed they called customer service and were told no one was being reimbursed.
Spotify tells TechCrunch that it has more recently instituted a refund process for Car Thing, provided the user has proof of purchase.
The ability to access customer support was officially communicated to Car Thing users in a second email released on Friday of last week after backlash grew over Car Thing shutting down. In this, Spotify directs users to correct customer support link to contact the company. However, the email doesn’t promise refunds, but says users can get in touch with questions.
While a refund may satisfy a portion of the user base upset about Car Thing, many are still pleading with the company via TikTok videos and in the comments on Spotify’s TikTok posts not to beg for their device. (In fact, complaints about the Car Thing are now so common in Spotify videos that the algorithmically suggested search that TikTok suggests on some videos is “what’s the spotify car thing.”)
“SPOTIFY PLEASE CONTACT ME 😭😭😭 I LOVE MY CAR.” Carla wrotea TikTok user using @carlititica on the service.
“Sad,” another user wrote. @nikkilovestech. “It’s like people want to use their phone as a distraction,” she wrote in the description of her video showing a Car Thing mounted on her dashboard. In her video, she also commented on the e-waste that comes from discontinuing a product that still works “perfectly”.
Spotify’s Car Thing discontinuation headaches aren’t over yet, despite a recently — if not widely — introduced refund process. The company is also facing a class action lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, which alleges that Spotify misled consumers by selling them a soon-to-be-obsolete product and then not offering refunds, Billboard reports. The lawsuit was filed on May 28.
Spotify cannot comment on the lawsuit, but a spokesperson shared the following statement about Car Thing:
“The goal of our Car Thing US exploration was to learn more about how people listen in the car. In July 2022, we announced that we will stop further production and now it’s time to say goodbye to the devices altogether. Users will have until December 9, 2024 until all Car Thing devices are disabled. To learn more about all the ways you can keep listening to Spotify in the car, check out For The Record and Car Thing users can reach out to Customer Support with any questions:
While the Car Thing issues won’t affect Spotify’s entire user base, the news comes at a time when users are already upset about being asked to pay more for things they consider essential to a music service, such as access to lyrics , a feature recently completed on Spotify. In addition to complaints about Car Thing, users are threatening to quit Spotify due to paid access to lyrics.
In addition, Spotify increased its subscription rates last year and another increase is on the way in 2024, Bloomberg reported.
