|
|
| (One intermediate revision by one other user not shown) |
| Line 35: |
Line 35: |
| |incidents_6_text=The removal of the Spotify Car Thing API completely bricked all Car Things in distribution. | | |incidents_6_text=The removal of the Spotify Car Thing API completely bricked all Car Things in distribution. |
| }} | | }} |
| ==Consumer Impact Summary==
| |
| <span></span>
| |
| ====User Freedom====
| |
| <span></span>
| |
| *'''Revocation of control''' - the [[Self-destructive design|discontinuation bricking]] of the device ultimately took away user control for thousands of people. Control was only regained after [[Security|security vulnerabilities]] in the device were exploited.
| |
| *'''Dependence on a phone app for basic functions''' - the Car Thing dependence on the Spotify app required that a phone authorized with the Spotify app always be present and connected to the Car Thing. The car thing's lack of offline support [[Forced app download|forced]] the user to use an app possibly unnecessarily.
| |
| *'''Retroactive resale falsification''' - the discontinuation bricking incident has created some potential risk for reseller false advertising which has been documented [[False advertising|here]].<br />
| |
| <span></span>
| |
| ====User Privacy====
| |
| <span></span>
| |
| *'''Data collection''' - Spotify openly admitted that the Car Thing had been developed to collect data on "how people listen to music and podcasts".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20250129004743/https://newsroom.spotify.com/2019-05-17/5-things-to-know-about-spotifys-latest-test/ "5 Things to Know about Spotify’s Latest Test"] - archive.org - archived 2025-01-28</ref> How the data collected through the SCT is useful for this purpose is unclear, in addition it is also unclear what the data is.
| |
| *'''Security Concerns''' - The root access exploit<ref name=":1" /> while beneficial to user freedom, allowing them to [[jailbreak]] their device also raises some concerns for future buyers of jailbroken Car Things -- a malicious seller could upload malware onto the device -- resold SCTs may be a potential security risk.<br />
| |
| <span></span>
| |
| ==Consumer Protection Incidents==
| |
| <span></span><h4>Production discontinued<ref name=":0">[https://archive.is/9F9Jk "Spotify’s Sordid Car Thing History—Here’s a Timeline of the Disastrous Hardware Release"] - archive.is - archived 2025-01-28</ref> (July 27, 2022)</h4>Production of the Car Thing is quietly halted due to poor sales.<ref>[https://archive.is/Lodo1 "What Happened to Spotify’s Car Thing? Spotify Exits Hardware"] - archive.is - archived 2025-01-28</ref><h4>Price reduced from $89.99 to $29.99<ref name=":0" /> (August 20, 2022)</h4>Spotify reduced the price by $60 in order to clear out their stock. The SCT would eventually sold out exposing more consumers to its discontinuation.<h4>Root access in the SCT is cracked by Security researchers<ref name=":0" /> (October 20, 2022)</h4>Root access was gained on the SCT through local means.<ref name=":1">[https://archive.is/WFjUd "Spotify Car Thing - Root and Custom OS toolkit"] - archive.is - accessed 2025-01-28</ref> While this is damning for the SCT's security it was not significant to consumer security, it merely gave consumers the ability to repurpose the device by uploading their own software. There is a risk that resold jailbroken SCTs could contain malware but this is an unlikely target. Spotify's response to the exploit was "that the product is unsupported, and end-of-life, and therefore no bugs would be accepted pertaining to the product" <ref name=":1" /> which is actually the first time Spotify officially announced the discontinuation. The bypass guide is available [https://github.com/oddsolutions/superbird-bulkcmd here]<h4>Total discontinuation announced<ref name=":2" /> (May 23, 2024)</h4>Spotify official announces the Car Thing's discontinuation on their website warning users that it will cease functioning entirely after December 9th, effectively discontinuation bricking] the device. <ref name=":2">[https://web.archive.org/web/20250128235625/https://support.spotify.com/us/article/car-thing-discontinued/ | "Car Thing discontinued"] - archive.org - archived 2025-01-28</ref> The announcement created a large scale panic with Car Thing owners who had actually enjoyed their product and were disappointed in the future bricking incident.<ref name=":3" /><h4>A now dismissed class action lawsuit is filed against Spotify<ref name=":3">[https://web.archive.org/web/20250129011219/https://techcrunch.com/2024/05/30/spotify-begins-offering-car-thing-refunds-as-it-faces-lawsuit-over-bricking-the-streaming-device/ "Spotify Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over ‘Car Thing’ Deactivation: ‘A Useless Product’"] - archive.org - archived 2025-01-28</ref> (May 28, 2024)</h4>Spotify was served a [[Class-action lawsuit|class-action lawsuit]] in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit claimed "Spotify misled consumers by selling them a soon-to-be obsolete product and then not offering refunds, reports Billboard".<ref name=":3" /> Prior to the lawsuit's filing Spotify had setup a refund page for buyers through email which directs customers to [https://support.spotify.com/us/contact-spotify-support/ this link], customers can receive refund with proof of purchase.<ref name=":3" /> The lawsuit was dismissed by the plaintiffs after Spotify began issuing refunds<ref>[https://archive.is/pwsVe "‘Car Thing’ Class Action Lawsuit Voluntarily Dismissed After Spotify Begins Issuing Refunds"] - archive.is - archived 2025-01-28</ref>.<h4>SCT API is shut down and removed from the Spotify App<ref name=":0" /> (December 9, 2024)</h4>The removal of the Spotify Car Thing API completely bricked all Car Things in distribution.
| |
|
| |
|
| == Community Solutions ==
| |
| <span></span>Spotify had previously posted the code for its uboot and kernel to GitHub, under the very unassuming name "spsgsb" and with no announcement (as discovered by Josh Hendrickson).<ref>https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2024/11/firmware-hacks-are-rejuvenating-spotifys-car-thing-before-the-company-bricks-it/</ref>
| |
|
| |
|
| There are currently a few solutions on the market to prevent the device from becoming e-waste. This includes software such as [https://deskthing.app/ deskthing], a versatile desktop assistant, [https://github.com/BluDood/GlanceThing GlanceThing], a glanceable action pad, or [https://github.com/usenocturne/nocturne-image Nocturne], a pre-built Debian 12 image for the Spotify Car Thing, that aims to replicate the original function of the Car Thing, still in active development.
| |
|
| |
| ==References==
| |
| <span></span><references />
| |
| [[Category:Products]] | | [[Category:Products]] |