Spotify in-car hardware to be released later this year

Spotify is reportedly set to release its voice-activated in-car media player later this year. That is according to sources from the Financial Times. The device had already appeared in marketing material before, presumably by accident. The device would cost $100.

The sources of The Financial Times further say that the device connects to the car’s audio system via bluetooth. However, it is not clear where it in turn gets its data. The device may have multipoint functionality for a simultaneous bt connection with the smartphone. Another possibility is that the device connects to mobile networks for its data, or that the player stores music in advance.

The device has hardware buttons whose functionality can be set, for example a specific playlist. The advantage of this is that the user does not have to take his eyes off the road to switch on a playlist, provided the button is set correctly. There is also support for voice commands, which are presumably performed in combination with Siri or Google Assistant.

The materials Spotify showed to a handful of users in April, seen below, may be concept designs. In any case, they give an idea of ​​what Spotify wants to bring to the market. What is also striking is that the device is apparently bundled with an annual subscription to the service. Then the device costs 60 dollars.

Material that Spotify probably accidentally showed in April