EDIT: The only reason why I still had it at this point was because I could use it with other apps. However, now that my Spotify Subscription is cancelled, it doesn’t work with anything. It’s mildly infuriating because today, I can’t still use it with other apps like I was able to yesterday.
Please don’t make the same mistake I made. No one should buy this.
That’s really dissapointing, did Spotify seriously release a hardware device that expensive, and mandates a subscription to operate?
It’s a shame because it looks quite nice too, and is sadly guaranteed to be e-waste at some point
I mean, it’s basically a cheap smartphone or computer tablet, with a lower resolution, but nice quality screen, and a giant volume spinner. $100 does not get you much at all in the phone and tablet space. I don’t think there’s much of any profit margin, if at all for it.
Poor-poor multibillion company has to
nickle and dime youearn sometging to eat
No way to hack the hardware and allow it to be used for something else?
I just saw another comment mentioning it can be rooted: https://lemmy.world/comment/2904183
I considered getting one of these a couple years ago and saw Spotify was discounting them heavily and even giving them away for free in some cases. I didn’t wind up getting one but do wish they would release a simple player + speaker like this for home use.
Are you kidding me? It’s been par for the course as far as car assessors go. Sirus radio was like 100 and still required a subscription. A lot of GPS were that price and most had subscriptions.
Just because it’s percieved as normal doesn’t mean it’s something we should put up with though.
With GPS subscriptions (the ones I’m aware of anyway) they will still navigate you from A to B when you stop paying the subscription, you usually just miss out on traffic updates, map updates and other localized enhancements. If there are any that deny you navigation outside the subscription that’s plain scummy IMO.
I’m not familiar with Sirius Radio but from what I can see online, it’s a satellite radio subscription service that seems to bring new things to the table (like starting a radio station at the beginning of a last song etc). The hardware appears to actually serve a purpose, i.e. it’s the satellite receiver for the radio service subscription. I believe we could compare this to buying a Starlink dish for internet access, and paying the monthly subscription. The spotify device shown here is not a standalone device and is only fitted with bluetooth IIRC, requiring a phone for operation.
In comparison to Spotify, Sirius does not appear to have ever had a free plan - whereas Spotify does… I see is no reason why Spotify could not make their free plan usable on this device.
Edit: fix typo
The device is free to premium users. It’s a marketing device for the premium subscription.
The box clearly states that a premium subscription is required.
Assuming you’re referring to the Sirius radio, it makes the Spotify device an even worse proposition IMO
Edit: Clarify assumption
Glad to see someone mention that the subscription being required for use is clearly conveyed. It’s not like this was some hidden information
Those I don’t fault. Sirius has satellites to maintain and they don’t get ad revenue.
GPS makers, well making maps on that scale is very expensive. Not everyone can be google and give it away to end consumers by harvesting user data and selling ads to businessplaces.
Spotify though, fair enough to charge for the hardware but once bought should work with the ad-supported version of their product…
The hardware is free for subscribers…
If you buy it outright it tells you that you need a subscription.
Don’t know why you’re being downvoted - enshittification as a viable consumer business model was pretty much proven in the auto space.
Just like they want to charge you to use the heated seats you’re paying the gas to lug around anyway
Just like they want to charge you to use the heated seats you’re paying the gas to lug around anyway
That’s not the same thing at all. As bad as e.g. Sirius or GPS subscription might be, at least with those the subscription is for ongoing access to new data being transmitted to you. In contrast, a subscription purely for the use of hardware already included in the car is literally theft.
The hardware is free for subscribers to the service…
I think I got an Echo Auto for $25 (during the public tests). It doesn’t need any kind of a subscription to use as far as I’m aware. It only does streaming still, but there are Alexa skills that let you stream from your Plex or Jellyfin server.
Yes, but the Echo platform is a tool to gather user data.
Man you are seriously going to hate the future lol
I could still use it for playing music in other apps. Now I can’t.
https://www.digitalmusicnews.com/2022/11/01/spotify-car-thing-root-achieved/
You can root it. Didn’t look too much into it but you might be able to do something with that.
Also failing that, get a short range radio transmitter. They’re cheap and the audio ain’t great but you can plug your phone in and get audio on your car.
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How is that any different than just using the app on a phone in a mount then?
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Is that it? I’m sure you can find a replacement that doesn’t require a subscription if that’s all you cared about.
It was free for premium subscribers and was marketed to those who had older cars.
So people are paying 100 bucks for an interface? Neat.
It’s free for Spotify subscribers.
That’s so sad I really wanted one of these, shame man. I hope you can flip it or return it or something. Don’t listen to the people telling you it’s stupid, it’s a cool idea I had my eye on it as well. Thanks for the warning
Makes me really love how gorgeous and functional CarPlay is.
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That sounds like a Subaru problem, on my Chevy the carplay and Android Auto interface are the same exact size and take up the whole info screen.
My old Subaru wasn’t like that either.
I don’t use Spotify, but I selected a song on someone else’s phone recently. The first time opening it in years and it opens up to an ad saying “buy our tshirts”.
I couldn’t help but think times must be hard 😅
I mean to be fair, Spotify as a company clearly would rather give millions to right-wing shitheads than ~anything else.
Google spotify premium mod apk and don’t use gmail to make an account, it should work
Wait, why would you buy that? Do you not have a phone?
I am sitting here, remembering buying a deck for satellite radio which also required a subscription to use. Definitely not new but definitely stupid in this day and age.
I bought one too, I think for $75 pre-lauch. Very underwhelming interface… it’s barely usable. I think they discontinued them already.
I have a car thing, I use it at my desk for media controls. It is pretty great.
But the product description was pretty clear that you needed premium to use it. The same goes for using any third party Spotify client. Shouldn’t have expected otherwise.
That’s not just mildly infuriating. It’s bloody exasperating.
And? Their site clearly states that a premium subscription is required.
Honestly this is such a stupid product… Just buy an Android Auto and/or Carplay device instead. They are cheaper, offer more features, and don’t force you to pay a subscription fee to utilize it.
Fuck products like this one. If you own it, it should be yours to use.
Do you have a recommendation for a good one of the Android auto things? They vary so much in price and I don’t know if paying more means it’s actually better
And was that the case since it first went on sale?
Yes. They said so in their announcement of the device’s general availability.
Do I just want to ask a question too?
Yes?
Correct… ?
Where do babies come from?
how is babby formed
am i pergnert?
A. Luigi. Borad?
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Cars in 2030: to use brakes you need premium account. Sorry!
I don’t understand the point of this device. Why not buy a replacement radio for the car instead? I bought a Pioneer one and it was a nice upgrade to my 2012 Mazda3 since I can plug in my phone to use Android Auto and get the screen to show Google Maps + pretty much any music app on my phone.
There’s plenty of 2010-2015ish cars with dogshit radios that are hard to find, expensive to get or literally impossible to find good replacements for, thanks to vehicle manufacturers killing of the DIN system.
My 2012 Mazda 3 has an adapter available to fit a standard double DIN radio into their weird shape. I imagine those are available for lots of cars.
A lot of aftermarket radio installation kits come with adapters to make up for the odd sizes. Of course, there may not be kits for every car.
Because buying a double DIN or even a single DIN radio can require buying a replacement bezel, disassembling your dash and often your center console as well, wiring in a steering wheel media control adapter, correctly wiring in the stereo, and having the knowledge to make adjustments when things don’t quite fit or go right.
“[just] buy a replacement radio” is not how it works at all.
I did it all by myself with no experience - wired up the wiring harness properly, installed the bezel, connected some sort of adapter so the car alert tones and steering wheel controls still work, etc. I bought the radio from Crutchfield who have lifetime phone support to assist with any issues (I didn’t need it though). I just followed the instructions they provided.
Good for you.
Best Buy does this all for you for $80, assuming the person is in the US. I expect this is available most places for similar prices though. You can get anything from a BT only unit for $20 online to a much nicer unit with Android Auto/iOS’s thing. While the initial cost might be higher the opportunity cost of your thing being disabled is almost certainly much higher, as this thread’s existence seems to support. $150-$200 well worth it in the long run to do a head unit upgrade.
And then after I spend over $100 on a decent stereo, $50 for an adapter for my car, and the $80 to have some kid install it for me I’ll be $250 in the hole and still paying for a Spotify subscription so I can listen to music that’s not shit. Or for $100 I could buy a cheap ass tablet and shove it into my air vent.
Oh yeah, you nailed it. Clearly worked for the OP… I also didn’t put a value on said opportunity cost. Perhaps it’s greater than $250 depending on the individual. Subjective as opportunity cost can sometimes be. Not trying to ascertain or consider it is at best just short sighted, or perhaps at worst ignorant. Cheap junk, effectively rented according to the EULA, subject to the whims of the rights holders, is never the way.
Or for $5 you can use Velcro strips to stick your phone to something in your car, or for $0 you can just balance the phone on your dashboard.
The cheap tablet or phone mount works well, but a nice radio is a lot cleaner and IMO is worth the expense.
Car radios have become much more entrenched. My 13 Fusion has an external amp. Shit, my 96 Taurus did too. Plus if you have any phone, steering wheel, or other peripheral integration, you often lose those features. OP probably has integrated hvac buttons. Sometimes you can get adapters, sometimes the signals are buried in canbus lines
My 2012 Mazda3 has an external amp under the front passenger seat. I bought my Pioneer radio from Crutchfield and they included an adapter to make everything work. The amp works fine (most radios have a preamp output for this purpose), and the steering wheel controls work fine too.
My car just had a basic radio though. I guess it might be harder in newer cars with fancier radios. People that mount their phone or use things like this Spotify… thing usually have older cars/radios though. The newer ones just have Android Auto and Apple Carplay built in.
Manufacturers at removing away from auto/carplay just as fast as it came in. They want you back in their ecosystems
