Spotify’s Car Thing: the streaming service still offers refunds for devices that will soon be blocked

Spotify says it has begun offering refunds for Car Thing devices that will be blocked in December this year. This was reported by Engadget.

It is a device for controlling the playback of Spotify content in cars. In the fall of 2021, the $90 devices were released to a limited number of users, and in February 2022, they became available to a wider audience.

Recently, Spotify announced that it would block Car Thing soon. The company stated that it was discontinuing the service “as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings.”

The news outraged many users, some of whom recorded angry videos, while others complained to Spotify’s support team. According to some Car Thing owners, they were offered several months of free premium access. However, not everyone received this offer.

At the same time, Billboard reported on a class action lawsuit filed by individual users in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on May 28. In it, Spotify is accused of misleading Car Thing owners.

However, Spotify has now informed that it has started offering refunds to customers. According to the company, starting from May 24, Car Thing owners who have proof of purchase can contact customer support and get their money back for the car device.

If the company’s statement about refunds starting May 24 is true, it is not a direct response to the lawsuit, as it was filed later. However, it is possible that Spotify started taking such actions in anticipation of lawsuits.