It accesses the internet (and Spotify’s vast catalog of audio) via your nearby phone through a bluetooth connection. The device also needs to be connected to a 12V power outlet nearby. To make the Thing work, you’ll need to connect it to your car stereo using bluetooth or cables. The company said the device’s microphones feature noise suppression technology to help tune out the sounds of the road - and an “adaptive interference cancellation technology” that helps the Thing prioritize your voice over all other sounds and voices. Users can also save their favorite music and podcasts to four available preset slots, then ask Car Thing to play them by clicking or calling out the preset by number. With voice control - which works through several microphones on Car Thing - users can ask Car Thing to play songs, albums, podcasts, playlists, genres, moods and more, as well as to “like” songs. Users can control what’s playing by using the touch screen, the dial or Spotify’s “Hey Spotify” voice control mode. Spotify's abrupt hardware U-turn comes as the heart of its business, software and content, continues to perform well. Monthly active user growth surpassed expectations by 5 million in Q2, growing by 19 million (19 percent) to 433 million.Dan Rutman Joins Spotify as Head of Music Creator Partnerships Spotify didn't get more specific, and it's unclear if the company will make another hardware play. Spotify's rep told TechCrunch that the company used Car Thing to learn about how people listen to audio in cars, and audio in cars will continue to be a focus for the company. Spotify claims its first hardware efforts weren't fruitless, however. Halting Car Thing manufacturing 'negatively impacted' Spotify's reported gross margins, which fell 24.6 percent when including the Car Thing charge of 31 million euros (about $31.4 million), Spotify's earnings report said. Car Thing had a large, accessible screen and handy knob, but it didn't add that much value over a docked smartphone. While Car Thing was extremely short-lived, its demise isn't completely surprising. In addition to paying for the device, you also need a Spotify Premium subscription to use it (starting at $10 per month for one person), as well as a Bluetooth-paired phone using data or Wi-Fi. Spotify's first hardware foray features a 4-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, and voice control via noise-canceling microphones.

Spotify car player