Around the same time, the company began adding Car View to its apps: a feature that switches to a simplified player interface when it detects your phone is connected to your vehicle over Bluetooth. The Financial Times report mentioned voice control features, but added new info about preset buttons for playlists and Bluetooth connectivity. All the details from those rumblings turned out to be an accurate description of the Car Thing released this month. In 2019, reports indicated Spotify was ready to ship an in-car player. The company didn’t comment at the time, and it’s unclear if any units of this first circular device ever made it out into the wild.

It offered a few Reddit users the opportunity to try a compact device that reportedly featured voice control and 4G connectivity. Spotify first tipped its hand on an in-car music player in 2018. I’ve spent two weeks with Car Thing in my car (obviously), and can tell you one thing - this dedicated Spotify player is really more of a controller for the app on your phone. Even though the company revealed the full details on Car Thing earlier this month, it’s only a “limited release” right now. While using Spotify, the Car Thing displays what it is you’re listening to and lets you choose other content available on the platform through a streamlined interface intended to be used in a car.After years of rumors, confirmation and vague descriptions, Spotify has finally made its first piece of hardware available to select users. The Car Thing acts as a sort of remote while your phone streams Spotify content to your car through a connection like Bluetooth or an auxiliary cord. Cars with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto capability don't need this, but people whose vehicles don't have a robust infotainment system will appreciate it. The Car Thing-which, despite the silliness of the name, sufficiently describes what it is-lets drivers control streaming content from Spotify without the use of a smartphone. Spotify today introduced the Car Thing, giving the streaming service its own hardware for the first time. The Car Thing is becoming available in limited release Spotify premium users will be invited to receive. The Car Thing is intended to be a streaming solution for cars that lack robust infotainment systems. Spotify has released the Car Thing, a voice-controlled smart player that allows streaming of Spotify content from a smartphone while in the car.

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