Spotify has announced a new Page Match feature, which will enable users to seamlessly transition between audiobooks and a paper copy, so streamers/readers can easily pick up where they left off.
The feature originally came to light in January via code spied within the Spotify Android app. And Spotify has wasted no time in getting it out in the wild for both Android and iOS.
It’s designed for those times when duty calls, but you don’t want to put down the page-turner you’re currently engrossed in. This way you can keep enjoying the story in the car or while walking the dog for instance. The feature works both ways, so when it’s time to snuggle on the couch with a good book, you can transport right back to the same place.
All readers need to do is quickly scan the page on the physical book and they’ll be able to pick up whether they left off.
Here’s how it works, per Spotify’s blog:
Open the Spotify mobile app and find the title you’re reading.
Tap the Page Match button.
Use your camera to scan a page in your physical book.
Spotify finds your spot in the audiobook.
Ready to return to print? Scan again to find the right place in the text.
“This is the most exciting development in reading technology I’ve heard about in years because it will get more people reading and listening to books,” said author Harlan Coben.
Furthermore Spotify is aiding this new feature by enabling users to buy those physical paper books directly from the app. The company has announced that users in the UK and the US will be able to buy physical books directly via the Spotify app. The agreement with Bookshop.org will help independent bookstores rather than, you know Amazon.
“We are excited to see the impact Spotify’s scale will have for local bookstores,” said Andy Hunter, Founder and CEO of Bookshop.org. “By meeting readers where they are and linking to Bookshop.org, Spotify is financially supporting indie booksellers with each purchase.”
