- Spotify is testing a new tool called Page Match that syncs your physical books with their audiobook versions
- By using your phone’s camera to scan the page of the book you’re reading, Spotify will take you to the exact timestamp of the audiobook
- The feature is still in its early stages, but it will likely roll out to regions that support audiobooks if Spotify moves forward with the release.
Spotify is constantly evolving its audiobook ecosystem and has 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 let you switch between a physical book and its audiobook version in Spotify – a perfect feature for tracking your page numbers, especially if you like to float between physical and digital reading.
Although it’s not yet live and Spotify hasn’t shared further details, Android Authority found a code reference to Page Match in the latest version of the Spotify app, along with the line “match your progress from book page to audiobook – and vice versa”, summarizing its purpose. The outlet also says that if this feature were rolled out, it would be available in regions where audiobooks are already supported.
On paper, it looks like this could become one of the most valuable tools if you’re a frequent user of Spotify’s audiobooks, saving you a lot of time needlessly searching for the page in a book that matches your progress in an audiobook – and the way it works is very simple.
If you want to switch from a physical book to an audiobook and continue your progress, simply 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 of the audiobook version. It also works the other way, something audiobook competitors have yet to exploit.
For those of you who primarily listen to audiobooks, you’ll be able to use Page Match to switch between your digital and paper version of the book you’re reading. Based on the code reference spotted by Android Authority, the site estimates that Spotify will be able to tell you the exact page number of a book that corresponds to your progress in an audiobook, which is a nifty bonus.
Android Authority also provided a screenshot from the Spotify app in its cover story (see below), which shows how Page Match would work when scanning physical books.
A nascent feature film, but a bright future
Page Match is still in its early stages, but Android Authority’s take on the tool makes it seem like it’s on its way. That said, there are a few 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’ll be prompted to do so before using the tool. Additionally, Spotify’s OCR may have problems identifying pages in a book when you scan them. If this happens, Spotify will ask you to scan a nearby page instead. Frustrating, but also expected for a feature that has just come out of the oven.
Spotify’s commitment to growing its audiobook ecosystem speaks for itself, and given last year’s rollout of Audiobooks+, AI Summaries, and Follow Along, 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 feature on Kindle gives you the ability to switch between your Kindle eBook and its audiobook version on Audible. Of course, Amazon got there first – Whispersync launched in 2012 – but Spotify’s Page Match goes even further with its ability to match physical books to their digital companions – something Amazon has yet to explore.
As someone who dips in and out of reading binges, I have to admit that Page Match is convincing me to replace music with literature for a bit – but we’ll see how long I can keep this up.
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