Heuristic Evaluation of Spotify Car Thing
Overview
Spotify, the leading streaming service in the world, wanted to expand its product line and launched an in-car music player called the “Car Thing”. The Car Thing is an audio player that can be mounted to your car’s dashboard and linked to your car with an aux cable, USB, or Bluetooth. The product is intended to give car owners without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto a more modern commuting experience. The Car Thing, however, failed to meet market expectations and was discontinued by Spotify in 2022. To see why the product failed from a usability point of view, I conducted a heuristic evaluation on the following criteria: aesthetic and minimalistic design, flexibility and ease of use, and consistency and standards.
1. Aesthetic and minimalistic design
The simple design uses two main parts, the touch screen, and the rotary dial, for navigation. The touch screen shows what is currently playing as well as two of your recently played playlist/song/album/podcast titles on the main page. The page has very minimal in design and is easy to grasp at first look. The rotary dial is placed on the right side of the device which allows for easy and natural access for the driver. To improve the device’s capabilities, Spotify has also designed four additional preset buttons on the top of the device which let you access your favorites. The device also has a button located at the bottom right that allows users to go back to the previous page.
2. Flexibility and ease of use
The device can be used manually (with the buttons, dial, and touch screen) or with voice control triggered by the phrase “Hey Spotify”. The voice search allows users to ask for a title “even with the music turned up or your windows down”. As for customization, the Car Thing allows for the four preset buttons to be configured as shortcuts to specific content or settings. As drivers, most users prefer a simple system that can be accessed and used on the road with minimal distraction. The minimal design with the voice control does meet this criterion and is very easy to use.
3. Consistency and Standards:
Spotify is aimed at a slightly different market than its direct competition such as Apple Carplay. This device is for older cars that lacked built-in car entertainment but bring some of the similar features of a modern infotainment system. Car Thing has a touchscreen pad and voice control like many of the new systems. It can be connected to your phones via Bluetooth and help attend calls. But unlike other systems, the Car Thing is primarily used for audio and does not provide other functionality such as navigation, reading text messages, and supporting other apps.
Looking through the lens of ubiquitous computing, Spotify’s Car Thing is a valuable technology for those who lack an infotainment system in their automobiles. Ubiquitous computing refers to technology that is embedded into everyday objects in a seamless manner that minimizes user interaction. The minimal use of touch screen, dial, and voice control make the product a valuable addition for their target consumer segment. But due to poor marketing and a high initial price point, the product could not compete in the market for long before its discontinuation in 2022.
References:
Gale, Z. (2022, April 30). Spotify Car Thing Review: What is it, how much, and should you get one? MotorTrend. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/spotify-car-thing-pros-cons-tech-product-review-test/
Götting, M. C. (2022, July 27). Global music streaming subscribers 2021. Statista. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/653926/music-streaming-service-subscriber-share/
Nielson, J. (n.d.). 10 usability heuristics for user interface design. Nielsen Norman Group. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/ten-usability-heuristics/
Steele, B. (n.d.). Two weeks with Spotify’s car thing. Engadget. Retrieved October 5, 2022, from https://www.engadget.com/spotify-car-thing-preview-180052796.html
