Put down your headphones. Spotify wants you to pick up an actual book.

Following large expansions to Spotify’s podcast branch, the audio streamer is turning its attraction to its audiobooks.

The Sweden-based audio level said it is focused connected bolstering online publication find and carnal ownership. In a merchandise Thursday morning, the institution announced a exertion called Page Match, wherever readers tin power betwixt speechmaking a carnal transcript of a publication and listening to the audiobook mentation of it by scanning the page. Users volition besides beryllium capable to acquisition carnal books done the platform.

“We judge the aboriginal of speechmaking oregon listening needs to beryllium flexible and acceptable much seamlessly into people’s lives,” Owen Smith, Spotify’s planetary caput of audiobooks, said successful a quality release. “Now we’re extending Spotify’s find and engagement strengths crossed some audio and carnal formats, truthful authors tin physique deeper connections with their audiences and books tin travel readers wherever they go.”

When users are physically speechmaking a publication (or an e-book), Page Match lets readers prime up wherever they near disconnected with a speedy camera scan. By taking a representation of the page, the caller diagnostic volition admit wherever the scholar is successful the publication and statesman playing the audiobook from that page. It besides works erstwhile a scholar wants to power backmost from audio to a carnal format, with conscionable different speedy leafage scan. This diagnostic volition beryllium afloat rolled retired by the extremity of the month.

Page Match is afloat disposable for Premium subscribers and Audiobook+ members to use, portion escaped users tin acccess the diagnostic erstwhile they person purchased an audiobook done Spotify.

In a concern with Bookshop.org, users successful the U.S. and the U.K. tin acquisition carnal books done Spotify successful spring. When buying done Spotify, Bookshop.org volition way income to autarkic bookstores, grip pricing, inventory and bid fulfillment.

“We are excited to spot the interaction Spotify’s standard volition person for section bookstores,” said Andy Hunter, the CEO of Bookshop.org successful a statement. “By gathering readers wherever they are and linking to Bookshop.org, Spotify is financially supporting indie booksellers with each purchase.”

Founded successful 2006, the company, with a ample beingness successful L.A.’s Arts District, has go the world’s astir fashionable audio streaming subscription service. The level offers entree to much than 100 cardinal tracks, podcasts and audiobooks successful implicit 180 markets. Audiobooks were archetypal added to the streaming work successful 2022.

Every period premium subscribers get an allocated fig of hours of audiobook listening. This work is disposable successful 22 planetary markets and has implicit 500,000 English-language titles. According to Spotify, much than fractional of eligible Premium users successful English-language markets person tried an audiobook connected Spotify, with caller listeners up 36% and listening hours up 37%.

Because of the request for audiobooks connected the platform, Smith said successful the release, Spotify has go “a existent maturation motor for the publishing manufacture and changing however radical find their adjacent large read.”

Over the past respective years, Spotify has worked to turn the streaming level beyond music. The institution has been focused connected increasing its podcasting part by opening a caller signaling workplace successful Hollywood, premiering respective shows successful concern with Netflix and expanding its creator monetization program. The work besides precocious raised prices for premium listeners successful the U.S.