Audio streaming giant Spotify has announced a significant expansion of its audiobook business, venturing into the sale of physical books directly through its app and introducing new features designed to integrate the print and audio reading experiences.
The move signals a strategic pivot for the digital-first platform, positioning it as a direct competitor to major booksellers like Amazon and aiming to create a comprehensive ecosystem for book lovers.
From Streaming Audio To Selling Print
In a notable shift, Spotify users in the U.S. and the U.K. will soon be able to purchase physical copies of books. This initiative is powered by a partnership with Bookshop.org, an online marketplace dedicated to supporting local, independent bookstores.
When a user opts to buy a physical book via the app, they will be directed to Bookshop.org’s website to complete the transaction. This model ensures that every purchase directly benefits local book communities, with Spotify earning an affiliate fee on the sales. The feature is set to roll out this spring.
Bridging The Digital And Physical Divide
To create a seamless experience between formats, Spotify is launching “Page Match.” This new tool allows users to scan a page from a physical book with their phone’s camera, which then syncs the audiobook to that exact spot. The feature, powered by computer vision technology, aims to solve the common issue of losing one’s place when switching between reading and listening.
Additionally, the “Audiobook Recaps” feature, which provides short summaries of where a listener last left off, will be expanding from iOS to Android devices this spring, further enhancing the platform’s user experience.
What This Means for MENA
While the initial launch of physical book sales is limited to the U.S. and U.K., this strategic move by Spotify has significant implications for the MENA region. The platform is already a dominant force in audio consumption across MENA, and its growing investment in audiobooks could accelerate the format’s adoption in a market known for its high mobile penetration and love for audio content.
For MENA-based publishers and authors, Spotify’s evolution into a multi-format book hub presents a potential new channel for distribution and discovery. As the platform eventually expands these features globally, it could offer regional creators access to a vast, engaged audience, challenging the existing dominance of platforms like Amazon’s Audible and local players. This could also spur innovation in the region’s digital publishing and creator economy sectors.
About Spotify
Spotify is a global audio streaming and media services provider founded in 2006. It is one of the world’s largest music streaming service providers, with over 600 million monthly active users. In recent years, the company has expanded its offerings to include podcasts and audiobooks, aiming to become the go-to destination for all things audio.
Source: TechCrunch
