Spotify is bringing old-school reading to its users.
The audio streaming service announced that it will unveil a feature this spring that enables Spotify listeners to purchase physical books through its app. Spotify says it will partner with Bookshop.org, the online marketplace where customers can buy books through independent booksellers.
“This partnership is designed to connect discovery on Spotify with physical ownership, making it easier for readers to move from finding a book they’re interested in to enjoying it in the format that feels right,” Spotify said. “Purchases made on Spotify will directly support those bookshops and the authors who brought that story to life.”
Spotify has been in the audiobook business since 2022. The feature has proved popular with listeners; last year books by Rebecca Yarros, Sarah J. Maas, and Alison Espach were among the top listens for Spotify users.
The company will also introduce a feature called Page Match that allows readers to switch between physical books and audiobooks. Users will be able to scan the page of the physical book they’re reading with their phone camera, and Spotify will find that place in the audiobook. The feature is scheduled to launch later this month.
“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,” author Harlan Coben said.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
