Unraveling the Fate of Spotify's Car Thing

Product Launch and Discontinuation

Spotify launched the Car Thing with great enthusiasm, but within just five months, it was pulled from the market. This decision was made to streamline their product offerings. Existing Car Thing accessories continued to function as expected until this week. In May, Spotify announced the discontinuation, and earlier this month, they informed customers that the device would stop working at some point in December.

The low demand and supply chain problems led to the demise of this once-promising hardware product. It's a reminder of the challenges faced by companies when introducing new hardware items.

Hacking to Keep the Device Alive

Despite the discontinuation, Car Bricks may have a chance to avoid the landfill through hacking. In the official Car Thing subreddit and on the internet, users have discovered ways to bypass the annoying launch screen that locks them out of their once-operational devices. Some spent $80 - $120 on these devices, and now they are facing a dilemma.

Since the expiration date, some Car Thing devices have become unusable, forcing users to a splash screen with a long goodbye. However, there are several methods to get beyond this splash screen or avoid it altogether. It all depends on the user's willingness to put in the effort to resuscitate the dying device.

Tips for Avoiding Brickification

The key tip for avoiding brickification is to "not let it connect to the internet." This poses new questions for users who have already purchased the device. It might be a good idea to keep it around for a while and see if more comprehensive hacks are developed.

Alternatively, users can return the device to Spotify to "discuss their refund options." This gives them the opportunity to get their money back or explore other options.