Spotify’s New Audiobook Feature May Replace Bookmarks
Spotify is testing an innovative new feature called Page Match, aimed at audiophiles and bibliophiles alike. This functionality allows users to transition seamlessly between audiobooks and physical books. By scanning a page from a physical book, users can jump directly to the corresponding section in the audiobook.
How Page Match Works
Page Match utilizes advanced optical character recognition (OCR) technology. Here’s how it operates:
- Open the Spotify app.
- Use your phone’s camera to scan a page from a physical book.
- Spotify identifies the text and matches it with the corresponding audiobook timestamp.
This process lets users move fluidly from a physical or digital book to its audiobook version and vice versa. For instance, if you pause the audiobook, the feature will inform you of the exact page number in the physical book that you should turn to.
Features and Limitations
Page Match offers several user-friendly features:
- Users need to own or unlock the audiobook on Spotify to access this functionality.
- If the OCR cannot detect the scanned page, users will be prompted to try scanning a different nearby page.
- Progress can be saved in your Spotify library for future access.
This feature could be particularly beneficial for book clubs where members might be engaging with both formats simultaneously.
Availability of Page Match
Currently, Page Match is expected to be available in regions where Spotify supports audiobooks, such as:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Much of Europe
- Australia
Although Spotify’s Page Match bears similarities to Amazon’s WhisperSync for Voice, it stands out by supporting physical books, in addition to ebooks and audiobooks.
Future Prospects
As of now, there is no official timeline for when Page Match will be publicly available. However, if Spotify successfully rolls out this feature, it could revolutionize how users engage with audiobooks and physical texts. By bridging these two formats, Spotify is aiming to enhance the reading and listening experience for users everywhere.
