In October 2021, Spotify launched a standalone music streaming gadget that was activated since 2019. It is the first hardware product to be released by Spotify and its name is a car. The October launch, however, is limited to nature, and devices are only available for a small number of users. Spotify remained that in February 2022, when car things were officially available for consumers throughout the United States. Two months, Spotify issued software updates for car things that add some new features to the Smart Player.
When it was first released, the Spotify Car Thing utility was limited to only responding to voice commands and helping users control music playback. It is connected to Bluetooth to the Spotify application installed on your smartphone and attracts all album information, artists, and your playlist to display it on a 4-inch screen.
The device is attached to the dashboard and displays a large jog dial that can be played to scroll various options. In addition to responding to Hey Spotify’s voice command, the device’s touch screen can also be used to control functionality. The latest updates for car things expand this function significantly.
Phone calls, connectivity, personalization
Conditional
Perhaps the most significant addition to the car in the latest update Spotify is its newly discovered ability to respond to phone calls. When paired with your smartphone, car things can be used to see who is calling. A user can even choose to answer and ignore the direct call from the device without using their phone.
While the car thing starts as an exclusive spotific product that is only connected to the Spotify application, which no longer happens. Car objects now allow users to control other media on their cellphones. This feature, however, is currently only available for iOS users. The company has confirmed that it will eventually launch an Android device too.
Another interesting new addition is the ability to use Spotify Assistants to play personalized playlists based on genres, moods, or certain activities. For example – According to Spotify – it will be a command like “Hey Spotify, play a comfortable week of RNB.”
Queue for songs and get updates
In addition to this latest drop feature is a ‘Add to Queue’ feature, which Spotify claims the most requested. This gives users the ability to queue for additional songs and podcasts. This feature can be used in three different ways; The first method is to just tap the ‘add to the queue’ icon next to the track. The second option is to choose “Add to Queue” using the JOG DIAL, while the last option is asking for Spotify’s voice help to do it. Spotify said the device would support voice commands such as “Hey Spotify, queue [song title here],” or “Hey Spotify, open my queue.”
Spotify has confirmed that iOS users with cars will be the first to receive these new features. As for the device itself, you can buy it for $ 89.99 directly from Spotify. Note, the car thing is only working if you are a premium Spotify customer.