Spotify unveils 'Car Thing,' a voice-controlled smart device that lets users play music hands-free while on the road
- Spotify has made its first foray into hardware with tests of an in-car smart device
- The new device is called 'Car Thing' and lets users turn music on hands-free
- A small set of users are testing the device and it's only open to Premium users
Spotify has launched a new voice-controlled smart device, marking a debut in the hardware industry.
Dubbed 'Car Thing,' it plugs into a vehicle's cigarette lighter and allows users to turn on their favorite playlist hands-free while they're driving.
The device is being rolled out among a small group of test users in the coming weeks, according to the Verge.
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Spotify has launched a new voice-controlled smart device, marking a debut in the hardware industry. It allows users to turn on their favorite playlist hands-free while they're driving
Once plugged in, the device connects to a user's phone and car using a Bluetooth connection.
Like any other voice-activated device, users say a wake word to make a command.
Saying 'Hey Spotify' will let users ask it to play a song, album, playlist or artist.
It'll also be linked to the user's Spotify account so that it can pull from their list of playlists, the Verge noted.
Car Thing features a small screen on the left side of the device, which shows what song is currently playing.
A set of buttons are also included next to that, where users can access preset playlists, akin to preset buttons for radio station in your car.
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Spotify maintains that the tests of 'Car Thing' don't mean it's making a major move into hardware, however.
Earlier this year, reports speculated that the company could be working on some kind of in-car, voice-activated device.
Spotify is jumping into the voice technology game. The firm is testing voice-controlled advertisements for some users in the U.S., it revealed on a call with investors this week
'While we know there has been some speculation about our future plans, Car Thing was developed to help us learn more about how people listen to music and podcasts,' Spotify said.
'Our focus remains on becoming the world’s number one audio platform—not on creating hardware.'
The tests are only taking place in the US for now, but Spotify said it could expand to additional users or into new spaces, such as the home.
The test is also limited to Spotify premium users.
'We don’t have any current plans to make this specific device available to consumers, but the learnings from our test will dictate how we develop experiences everywhere you listen,' the firm added.
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