- Spotify is testing a new tool called Page Match that syncs your physical books with their audiobook versions
- Using your phone camera to scan the page of the book you’re reading, Spotify will take you to the exact timestamp in the audiobook
- The feature is still in its infancy, but it will likely roll out to regions that support audiobooks if Spotify goes ahead with its release
Spotify is always evolving its audiobooks ecosystem, and it’s been testing a new tool behind the scenes, which involves syncing audiobooks with physical literature and vice versa – and it’s giving Audible a run for its money.
The new tool, called Page Match, will allow you to switch between a physical book and its audiobook version in Spotify – a perfect feature for keeping track of your page numbers, especially if you enjoy floating between physical and digital reading.
Though it’s not live yet and Spotify hasn’t shared any further details, Android Authority found a code reference to Page Match in the latest version of the Spotify app, as well as the line “match your progress from the book page to the audiobook – and back again”, summarizing its purpose. The outlet also shares that if this feature were to roll out, it would be available in regions where audiobooks are already supported.
On paper, it sounds like it could become one of the most valuable tools if you’re a frequent user of Spotify’s audiobooks, saving you loads of time needlessly searching for the page in a book that matches your progress in an audiobook – and the way it works is very straightforward.
If you want to switch from a physical book to an audiobook and continue your progress, all you have to do is scan the page you’re reading with your phone’s camera. Spotify will then use optical character recognition (OCR) to read the text, which it will then match to the timestamp in the audiobook version. It also works the other way around, which audiobook competitors have yet to tap into.
For those of you who are primarily audiobook listeners, you’ll be able to use Page Match to switch from your digital to a paper version of the book you’re reading. Based on the code reference that Android Authority spotted, the outlet believes that Spotify will be able to tell you the exact page number in a book that matches your progress in an audiobook, which is a clever bonus.
Android Authority also provided a screenshot it sourced from the Spotify app in its coverage (see below), which shows how Page Match would work when scanning physical books.
An infant feature, but a bright future
It’s still early days for Page Match, but Android Authority’s insight into the tool does inspire confidence that it’s on the way. With that said, there are some minor hurdles to note.
So far, it appears that Page Match will only work if you unlock or own a Spotify audiobook first, and you will be prompted to do so before using the tool. Additionally, Spotify’s OCR may run into issues identifying book pages when you scan them. If this occurs, Spotify will ask you to scan a nearby page as an alternative. Frustrating, but also expected for a feature that’s fresh out of the oven.
Spotify’s dedication to growing its audiobook ecosystem speaks for itself, and given the rollout of last year’s Audiobooks+, AI recaps, and Follow Along feature, it’s evident that Spotify isn’t giving up, and as a result, it’s quickly catching up to Amazon’s flagship audiobook service Audible.
The Whispersync function on Kindle gives you the ability to switch between your Kindle eBook and its audiobook version on Audible. Sure, Amazon got there first – Whispersync launched in 2012 – but Spotify’s Page Match takes it one step further with its ability to match physical books to their digital companions – something that Amazon has yet to explore.
As someone who dips in and out of reading slumps, I have to admit that Page Match is convincing me to switch out the music for the literature for a bit – but we shall see how long I can keep that up for.
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rowan.davies@futurenet.com (Rowan Davies)
