- 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 time stamp 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 developing its audiobook ecosystem, and it’s been testing a new behind-the-scenes tool that involves syncing audiobooks with physical literature and vice versa—giving Audible a run for its money.
The new tool, called Page Match, allows you to switch between a physical book and its audiobook version in Spotify – a perfect feature for keeping track of your page counts, especially if you enjoy fluidity between physical and digital reading.
While 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,” which sums up 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 be one of the most valuable tools if you’re a frequent user of Spotify’s audiobooks, saving you tons of time unnecessarily searching for the page in a book that matches your progress in an audiobook—and the way it works is very straightforward.
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 with the timestamp of the audiobook version. It also works the other way around, which the audiobook competitors have yet to catch on to.
For those of you who primarily listen to audiobooks, 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 seen by Android Authority, the outlet believes that Spotify will be able to tell you the exact page number of a book that matches your progress in an audiobook, which is a neat bonus.
Android Authority also provided a screenshot it took from the Spotify app in its coverage (see below) that shows how Page Match would work when scanning physical books.
An infant move, but a bright future
It’s still early days for Page Match, but Android Authority’s insight into the tool inspires confidence that it’s on the way. That said, there are some minor hurdles to note.
So far, it looks like 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 can run into problems identifying book pages when you scan them. If this happens, Spotify will ask you to scan a nearby page as an alternative. Frustrating, but also expected for a feature fresh out of the oven.
Spotify’s dedication to growing its audiobook ecosystem speaks for itself, and given last year’s rollout of Audiobooks+, AI recaps, and the Follow Along feature, it’s clear 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 allows you to switch between your Kindle e-book and its audiobook version on Audible. Sure, Amazon got there first – Whispersync launched in 2012 – but Spotify’s Page Match takes it a step further with its ability to match physical books with their digital companions – something 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 the music to the literature a bit – but we’ll see how long I can keep it up.
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