Spotify is testing Page Match, a feature that syncs paper books with audiobooks

It appears that Spotify is giving Audible a run for its money. Our sister site, Android Authority, has unearthed code in the Spotify app version 9.1.18.282 that indicates it is testing a new audiobook feature called Page Match. This is a tool that will allow seamless jumping between audiobooks and their physical counterparts.

The feature is simple: you scan a page in a physical book using your phone’s camera, and Spotify will take you to that timestamp in your audiobook. Page Match uses optical character recognition (OCR) to read the text, identify the passage, and match it to the correct timestamp in the audiobook.

Android Authority discovered that Spotify’s own onboarding strings describe Page Match as a beta feature that lets you “match your progress from the book page to the audiobook — and back again.” This, and another string that shows Spotify will understand page numbers, indicates that Page Match works in reverse. So, Spotify will tell you the exact page in a physical book that corresponds to your current audiobook timestamp.

Reverse functionality will be incredibly convenient if it comes to fruition. For example, it will allow you to immediately flip to physical pages without having to search for them painstakingly. It could also be useful for book clubs that use a mixture of audiobooks and physical books.

However, code strings indicate that Page Match will only work if you have unlocked or own a Spotify audiobook first. Otherwise, you’ll be prompted to purchase the audiobook before using the tool. Most handy is that you can save your progress to your library as you go and come back to it later. If Spotify’s OCR fails, you’ll be asked to scan a nearby page.

Page Match should be available in markets where Spotify already offers audiobooks. These include the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, and much of Europe, among others. Spotify has not publicly acknowledged its Page Match feature or announced when it will be launched. However, it could be one of the most meaningful audiobook upgrades we’ve seen in years if and when it materializes.