Spotify launches hands-free 'Car Thing'

Remember Spotify Car Thing? Well it now is a thing, but only in the United States.

The streamer’s long-awaited in-vehicle entertainment system is finally available for motorists in the U.S. for US$90, after the device was shipped to a limited number of subscribers last October.

Quietly unveiled three years ago, and presented last April, Car Thing represents Spotify move into hardware, one that should see the brand face-off with radio.

The gadget is meant to sit on the dashboard, and has a chunky dial to the right of its display.

Its hands-free feature is Car Thing’s best sales pitch. Users can activate the device by voice command, with the words "Hey Spotify".

Spotify's Car Thing

For those who like to get hands on, the device has four preset buttons which take you direct to to your favorite artists, playlists, stations, and podcasts.

You’ll need a premium subscription to play on it, a phone with mobile data connection, and it’s currently available for the U.S. only. A timeline for its release in Australia has yet to be announced.

With lockdowns lifting stateside and commuters getting back to their daily grind, Spotify will hope its Car Thing will keep its users logged on for longer.

The rollout of any new product gives a company something fresh to talk about. And with Spotify taking countless brickbats in recent weeks, from its relationship with divisive podcaster Joe Rogan, to the piddling royalties it returns to creators, Car Thing presents Spotify and its PRs with a timely talking point.

Despite the loud criticisms, the Sweden-based streaming giant boasts 172 million paid subscribers and 381 million monthly active users, and it's top dog in a space that was virtually non-existent a decade ago.

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