Spotify has voluntarily dismissed the class action lawsuit over its discontinued "Car Thing" device after implementing a refund policy for affected customers. The company initially announced plans to discontinue the Car Thing device on December 9 without offering refunds, leading to customer backlash and legal action.

In response to the lawsuit, Spotify revised its stance and began offering refunds to customers who purchased the device directly from the company and could provide proof of purchase. However, the refund policy excludes devices purchased through third-party sellers, where units continue to sell for close to their original $90 retail price on platforms like eBay.

This situation reflects Spotify's broader focus on profitability and operational efficiency. The company appears to be moving away from hardware development, while simultaneously implementing other cost-saving measures, such as reclassifying most of its plans as bundles to reduce mechanical royalty payments.

To address related legal challenges, Spotify has been expanding its legal team with new positions focused on publishing, including:

• Publishing-deal financial analyst
• Associate general counsel for publishing
• Head of songwriter and publisher partnerships

The company maintains an active Reddit community "for all things related to Spotify Car Thing hacking and development," though the device will cease functioning for all users after the December shutdown date.

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