Photo: Spotify
Car Thing was, at least at first, a device whose purpose wasn’t necessarily very clear. It allows users to listen to their favorite Spotify tunes via Bluetooth, all by putting a small display on the dash of your car.
For many people out there, spending $90 on a device that does pretty much the same thing a mobile device running Spotify is already capable of didn’t make much sense.
But others believed – and it seems they were right – that Spotify’s long-term goal was much more ambitious. The company is actually trying to provide users not only with an updated car-optimized experience but also with an alternative to the more popular CarPlay and Android Auto.
And a set of updates announced this week certainly seems to suggest this is the case.
Starting this week, Car Thing will be able to handle phone calls. At this point, only seeing, answering, and dismissing incoming calls is supported, but it’s probably just a matter of time until the Spotify device eventually becomes capable of making phone calls as well.
At the same time, the company has updated the device with new features to control other media. Available on iOS, this new option pretty much makes it possible for Car Thing to play and control other media right from its screen, thus expanding its purpose beyond serving as an exclusive Spotify interface.
Car Thing is also being overhauled with new ways to add to queue additional songs and podcasts. These include touch, the dial, and voice command.
And speaking of which, Car Thing now allows users to get a personalized playlist for any mood using nothing more than a voice command.
As you can easily figure out, all these improvements are available in the United States, where Car Thing is also available. And of course, Spotify Premium continues to be required along with a mobile data connection to power all capabilities.
But others believed – and it seems they were right – that Spotify’s long-term goal was much more ambitious. The company is actually trying to provide users not only with an updated car-optimized experience but also with an alternative to the more popular CarPlay and Android Auto.
And a set of updates announced this week certainly seems to suggest this is the case.
Starting this week, Car Thing will be able to handle phone calls. At this point, only seeing, answering, and dismissing incoming calls is supported, but it’s probably just a matter of time until the Spotify device eventually becomes capable of making phone calls as well.
At the same time, the company has updated the device with new features to control other media. Available on iOS, this new option pretty much makes it possible for Car Thing to play and control other media right from its screen, thus expanding its purpose beyond serving as an exclusive Spotify interface.
Car Thing is also being overhauled with new ways to add to queue additional songs and podcasts. These include touch, the dial, and voice command.
And speaking of which, Car Thing now allows users to get a personalized playlist for any mood using nothing more than a voice command.
As you can easily figure out, all these improvements are available in the United States, where Car Thing is also available. And of course, Spotify Premium continues to be required along with a mobile data connection to power all capabilities.
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