Spotify on Thursday announced the rollout of a new feature called “Page Match,” designed to bridge the gap between reading and listening by allowing users to move seamlessly between a physical book or e-book and its audiobook version.
The feature uses a smartphone’s camera to scan the page a user is reading and then synchronises the audiobook to the exact point where reading stopped. Spotify said the tool is being rolled out gradually on both iOS and Android devices and is expected to be available for most English-language titles by the end of February.
Page Match works in two directions. When switching from reading to listening, users can tap the “Scan to listen” option within the app and point their camera at the page. The system identifies the text and offers to resume audio playback from the corresponding section. When moving from audio back to the book, the app guides readers to the correct passage and indicates whether they need to flip forward or back to continue reading.
The feature is available to Spotify Premium and Audiobook+ subscribers, subject to their monthly audiobook listening limits. Users on the free tier can also access Page Match if they have purchased individual audiobooks through the platform.
Expansion into physical book sales
Alongside the new synchronisation tool, Spotify announced a partnership with Bookshop.org that will allow users to purchase physical books directly through the app. The initiative is set to launch in the United States and the United Kingdom during the northern hemisphere spring.
The company said the partnership is intended to link book discovery on Spotify with physical purchases, while also supporting independent bookstores in the Bookshop.org network.
Spotify’s global head of audiobooks, Owen Smith, said making it easier for users to discover and enjoy books across formats helps grow demand and positions the platform as a driver of growth for the publishing industry.
With Page Match and direct book sales, Spotify is continuing to expand its presence in the audiobook and publishing space, aiming to integrate reading and listening into a single, connected experience.
