Spotify Car Thing Lawsuit Says Firmware Update Will Leave Streamers With ‘Nothing More Than a Paperweight’ [UPDATE]

Spotify faces a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges Car Thing users will be left with “nothing more than a paperweight” when the streaming giant rolls out a mandatory firmware update for the in-vehicle dashboard device later this year.

The 33-page Spotify Car Thing lawsuit contends that consumers would not have bought the in-car streaming device, which reportedly retails for between $50 and $100, had they known Spotify would stop supporting the product altogether a mere three years after it was released for sale.

According to the complaint, Spotify announced that it will cut off support for the Car Thing as of December 9, 2024, ending its functionality through a forced firmware update that the case stresses “will result in the device becoming obsolete.”

The filing accuses Spotify of misrepresenting that the Car Thing was “[d]esigned for your drive” and that the device “… has one job and does it awesomely,” as well as failing to mention its intention to prematurely end the product’s usefulness. Indeed, the proposed class action lawsuit argues that the Spotify Car Thing was useful for “a commercially unreasonable period of time.”

According to the lawsuit, Spotify has made it clear that it will not refund or replace the Car Thing and instead recommended that users “reset your Car Thing to factory settings and safely dispos[e] of your device.”

“Had Plaintiffs and other members of the Class known that Spotify manufactured the Car Thing with the ability to brick the product at any point after its introduction to the marketplace and in Spotify’s total discretion, they would not have bought a Car Thing, or would have paid substantially less for them,” the suit summarizes.

The “best thing to happen in cars since the stereo?”

Announced in 2019, the Spotify Car Thing was described in advertising as a game-changing device that could mount to any vehicle’s air vent. The Car Thing, powered via USB-C through a car’s 12V socket with an adapter, features a nearly four-inch display and large rotating dial in the upper right-hand corner, with one small button on the bottom and five other buttons on the top of the device to allow users to navigate Spotify.

Spotify touted the Car Thing as the “perfect companion to the car commute,” among other claims, and as “putting Spotify front and center of the driving experience,” the filing says.

After an initial, invite-only release period, Spotify began to sell the Car Thing for roughly $90, with the claim that “no matter the year or model of your vehicle, we feel everyone should have a superior listening experience.”

The lawsuit stresses that consumers relied on Spotify’s representations in deciding whether to shell out almost $100 for the Car Thing, believing that the device would work as long as they maintained a Spotify Premium account.

On May 23 of this year, however, Spotify announced it would discontinue its Car Thing, leaving consumers with a device that no longer works, the case relays.

“Thousands of purchasers of the Car Thing have and will experience the forced obsolescence of their purchase,” the complaint reads. “Complaints by consumers posted on the Internet demonstrate that the dissatisfaction is widespread.”

Who can join the Spotify Car Thing lawsuit? How do I sign up for the class action?

When a new class action lawsuit is filed, there’s typically nothing you need to do to join or sign up for the case. It’s usually only in the event of a class action settlement that the people affected by the lawsuit, called class members, need to act. This usually involves filling out and filing a claim form online or by mail.

The Spotify Car Thing class action lawsuit looks to cover all individuals in the United States and its territories who bought a Spotify Car Thing before May 23, 2024.

For now, Spotify Car Thing users should sit tight and stay informed by signing up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter.

Are you owed unclaimed settlement money? Check out our class action rebates page full of open class action settlements.