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Spotify Kills Off Car View, Long Live Car Mode

The number of Spotify users (including those with free tiers and subscribers) is on the rise, so the company is working on multiple fronts to make the service easier to use not only on the mobile device but also elsewhere.
Spotify Car Mode 10 photos
Photo: 9to5Google
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If you’ve been keeping an eye on the news lately, you probably know Spotify has big plans regarding the way users connect to its music streaming service in a car.

First and foremost, the Car Thing, a weirdly-named device that’s supposed to serve as a pretty basic alternative to Android Auto and CarPlay, is now available in the United States for people who want to listen to their favorite music in a more convenient way.

And second of all, Car View, the simplified version of the app that was specifically aimed at drivers, was discontinued in late 2021, leaving Spotify with no interface dedicated to the experience behind the wheel.

Many believed ditching Car View was a way to bring more people to Car Thing, but as it turns out, Spotify is actually preparing a new so-called Car Mode.

Discovered recently by 9to5Google, this Car Mode is currently available in a very limited test with a series of selected users who listen to music via Bluetooth in their cars.

The Car Mode has a new and more refined UI as compared to Car View, and the biggest change is that it strongly resembles the full app in the first place. It looks to be easier to find the music to play, especially as the app recommends playlists, trending albums, and so on.

The player view continues to be very basic, and this makes perfect sense given the purpose is to keep the distractions as reduced as possible. Voice controls are also available, and the tabbed UI Makes it easy to access them by tapping a dedicated icon at the bottom of the screen.

Spotify hasn’t shared any information as to when it plans to release Car Mode, but hopefully, it won’t take long before this happens.
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About the author: Bogdan Popa
Bogdan Popa profile photo

Bogdan keeps an eye on how technology is taking over the car world. His long-term goals are buying an 18-wheeler because he needs more space for his kid’s toys, and convincing Google and Apple that Android Auto and CarPlay deserve at least as much attention as their phones.
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