Spotify refund car thing last chance

Photo Credit: Spotify

Spotify has officially shut down its Car Thing, and it’s giving owners just one more month to contact the company for a refund.

Owners of Spotify’s now-discontinued Car Thing have until January 14 to contact the company for a refund. The accessory that offered a simple way to listen to Spotify playlists and music while driving has started to display its final goodbye message this week.

“Car Thing is discontinued and no longer operational,” the message begins. “Thank you for being on this journey with us, safe travels. For more information, visit carthing.com. Contact customer service by no later than January 14th, 2025 to discuss your refund options.”

The company announced in May its intention to shut down the already discontinued devices in December, and now that’s taking place. At the time, Spotify said it would work to issue refunds eventually, but that owners would need to contact the company directly and provide proof of purchase.

Unfortunately, for most users, the device has become little more than a brick. Spotify recommends resetting it to factory settings and “safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines.”

Tech and hacking enthusiasts are finding new uses for the device, and some have hacked it to run custom software. While it’s too underpowered to run a full version of Android, some projects, such as “Desk Thing,” can re-purpose the Car Thing to use as a controller for your desk. There’s also Nocturne, an entirely new OS for the discontinued device.

And finding any means to re-purpose the device sure beats discarding it and adding to the ever-increasing mass of e-waste for which humanity hasn’t yet found a solution.

Launched in February 2022, Car Thing aimed to improve music control in cars that lacked built-in “infotainment” systems. But due to low demand and supply chain issues, the device was discontinued less than a year into its life.

When Spotify first announced the shutdown, the company faced quite a bit of backlash from users who felt they were owed a refund for the $90 device. Others were upset that Spotify was effectively contributing to e-waste by not offering an alternative besides discarding the Car Thing.