Spotify is refunding owners of its Car Thing device, but won't open-source the hardware, leaving some users frustrated with the scheduled obsolescence of the device
The article discusses the upcoming end of support for Spotify's Car Thing, a device that has been the subject of various hacks and research. The article highlights some of these hacks, such as gaining U-Boot and UART access to the device's Linux system. It also mentions YouTube videos that provide step-by-step guides for accessing the hardware.
Spotify's Car Thing device owners are asking for refunds and open-sourcing as the company plans to brick the devices in December 2024 without offering refunds or trade-in options.