Spotify outs a new smart player called "Car Thing"

Spotify launched its first-ever hardware device called the "Car Thing" in the US.

Spotify Car Thing is now official

A smart player made for drivers?

To recap, the streaming giant first announced the Car Thing way back in April 2021. This device is an in-car dash-mounted music and podcast player designed to provide a more seamless and personalized listening experience. 

Spotify took into consideration the fact that there are several cars that lack support for modern in-car infotainment systems or Apple CarPlay. It is for Spotify Premium subscribers with features such as a touchscreen, a knob for navigation, voice control, and many more.

With a navigation knob, touchscreen, and voice control feature

The company said that Car Thing sports a unibody design with matte-textured rubber details for easier navigation. The navigational controls include buttons, a dial, and a back button, all designed for repeated use.

In addition, the Car Thing is said to boast near-field and mid-field reach, meaning improved responsiveness to voice commands.

Meanwhile, the smart player's microphones are equipped with noise suppression capability. This reportedly helps tune out sounds from the road in order to focus on your voice.

Also, this one is packed with adaptive interference cancellation technology hence it is designed to always prioritize your voice over all other sounds.

How does it work? Apparently, the UI is patterned to the Spotify mobile app so that it is familiar to users.  There's an option for touch controls, "Hey Spotify" voice commands, or physical navigation via the knob.

The Car Thing works over Bluetooth, or via an AUX or USB cable, and it comes with three different dash and vent mounts. This is to make sure that it fits the dashboard securely, as well as a car charger and a USB-C cable.

Spotify said that the Car Thing is compatible with iOS and Android devices, and connects to a user's smartphone for data and linking to the Spotify app. 

US price with direct to PHP conversion (no taxes and duties yet):

Spotify Car Thing - USD 89.99 (or around PHP 4.6K)

The Car Thing was initially only available to selected users in the United States who requested an invite during the device's testing period. But as of writing, the smart player is now publicly available in the United States with free shipping.

The streaming giant hasn't announced yet if it's going to release The Car Thing to other countries but we'll keep you posted.

What do you think?

Source: Spotify