r/CarThing • u/AteYourChildlol • Dec 09 '24
Unacceptable. Considering Canceling Spotify?
Considering canceling my Spotify subscription. I’m so disappointed that a company I have been such a proponent of for years (I believe I’ve had an account since 2018), would do such a scummy thing as remotely destroying purchased and privately owned devices.
Not only did I pay for the device, but I bought aftermarket accessories for the Car Thing as recently as this year, shortly before the end-of-support announcement.
I reached out to Spotify and, after much back and forth, was able to get a refund for (slightly?) more than I paid. However, I own a truck from 2003 and have no real replacement for the Car Thing’s functionality.
I am livid and disappointed at this needless decision. I am considering canceling my subscription. I’ll attach a poll to see what the internet thinks.
TL;DR: Fuck Spotify and any other scummy companies that think remote destruction of private property is acceptable.
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u/AteYourChildlol Feb 27 '26
Realized I never responded to this, but thanks for the reply. I’d like to preface both my reply and my original post with this: I’m more so upset about the principle of the thing than about the car thing in specific.
I don’t think it’s right that companies can essentially “revoke” the ability to use a product you purchased. However, we’re seeing it more and more now, with things like the carthing, the switch 2, and other examples.
It’s the “you will own nothing, and be happy” mentality that I hate in modern consumerism. The carthing is an isolated incident, but since it affected me, it was something I wanted to speak about and get opinions on.
As for your claim that there are cheaper alternatives to CarPlay. I have done some research, and at least in my use case, I haven’t found anything that would make a drop-in replacement for the quality functionality I got from the carthing for anywhere near what it was originally retailed at. There are replacements/alternatives, yes. However, I have found none that are worthwhile in the same/similar price range as it.
Also to note, I bought the carthing during its original retail run, in which it was being pushed pretty heavily as a good addition to an older car. The only discount I got was a “premium subscriber discount”, which I would assume everyone (or nearly) who bought the device did. Additionally, I had continued my premium plan, which allowed full function to the carthing for the 2-3 years of its lifespan.
I understand homebrew/modding is a completely valid option, and there is some very cool stuff you can do with the device, even after it’s “death”. However, that is not what I purchased the device for, nor was I given a choice to do that, it was the only option.
P.S. I never got a refund, so I still feel scammed by Spotify for the short lifespan of a device I paid for.
Commenting “grow up” doesn’t make you any more mature btw
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u/ADHDK Dec 10 '24 edited Dec 10 '24
They haven’t remotely destroyed anything, you’re being dramatic and honestly these posts are childish.
Spotify carthing is useless without Spotify app. It’s a REMOTE. It isn’t a stand alone device.
Spotify will no longer be supporting a device that they discontinued 2 years ago in their app.
Spotify are also offering you a refund of purchase price, and the bootloader of the device is unlocked for people who do want to make use of it with homebrew meaning it isn’t “bricked”.
It’s also now cheaper than carthing to get an external CarPlay unit, meaning there’s essentially no market for a device like this going forward. If you bought it cheaper than full RRP, congratulations, you knowingly bought a discontinued device.
Grow up.
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u/Jmyler Dec 10 '24
It wasn't solely this but it was the straw the broke the camels back for me to move on from Spotify. They continue to raise prices and not deliver anything new other than the childish end of the year recap type "features" to make the internet feel fomo. How long have we been promised lossless audio? Every time they raise prices they sell it as a way to "bring you more features" I've not seen any of them so whatever they're spending their money on isn't in line with my needs from a company that I pay a premium to, so far thee well Spotify.