Spotify is discontinuing Car Thing, purposely bricking devices and telling users to throw them away

Spotify's venture into the world of hardware with Car Thing has proved an unmitigated failure. Having ended production of the device just a few short months after launch, the product is set to be completely discontinued before the end of the year.

But the discontinuation of Car Thing means more than just the end of support and updates -- much more. Spotify says that the devices will be rendered non-functional, and the advice to users is to reset and recycle them.

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The streaming music giant has started to email Car Thing owners to warn them that the device is not only being discontinued, but will stop working. The date to add to your calendar is December 9, and there are currently no plans for a follow up or alternative device.

In a support document about the discontinuation, Spotify says:

We have made the decision to discontinue Car Thing. This means that Car Thing will no longer be operational. This decision wasn't made lightly, and we want to assure you that our commitment to providing a superior listening experience remains unchanged.

The decision is said to have been taken "as part of our ongoing efforts to streamline our product offerings".

The announcement is likely to rile Car Thing fans who will be left with a useless piece of hardware with no compensation being offered by Spotify. Seemingly wiping its hands of the doomed device, the company issues the following advice:

We recommend resetting your Car Thing to factory settings and safely disposing of your device following local electronic waste guidelines. Contact your state or local waste disposal department to determine how to dispose of or recycle Car Thing in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.

More information is available here.