Spotify launches the ability to purchase physical books in the US and UK

In February, Spotify She made an exciting (and somewhat unusual) move when she entered the world of physical book sales. As of this week, the new feature is Officially live in the US and UK, allowing users to purchase physical books through the Spotify app.

This cooperation with Bookshop.organ online marketplace dedicated to supporting local independent bookstores. On audiobook pages within the app, users will now see a button labeled “Get a copy for your bookshelf.” Clicking this button directs them to the Bookshop website, which manages pricing, inventory, and shipping.

Currently, the ability to purchase physical books is available exclusively on Android devices, with iOS users scheduled to be able to access it next week.

Today’s announcement reinforces Spotify’s position as a competitor to major booksellers, as it aims to become a one-stop shop for book lovers. This new offering is also part of Spotify’s larger strategy focused on profitability. To further this goal, the company Increase subscription prices In the United States and Europe. It has recently promoted access 751 million Monthly active listeners.

In addition to physical book sales, Spotify has launched several other updates, which were initially announced in February. This includes expanding the Page Match feature, which now supports more than 30 additional languages, including French, German and Swedish. The Page Match feature allows users to scan a page from a physical or e-book using their smartphone camera. The tool analyzes the content and directs users to the corresponding section in the audiobook.

Since launching the feature for English-language books in February, Spotify has reported that users who use Page Match stream an average of 55% more hours of audiobooks each week than other listeners. Additionally, 62% of audiobook titles that matched a page on Spotify were books that users had never streamed before.

Additional updates include the official launch of “Audiobook Recaps” on Android devices. This feature provides short audio summaries tailored to the user’s latest point in the story, making it easy to return to listening again.

The company also announced that “Audiobook chartssimilar to Spotify’s music and podcast charts, is now available in Germany, after previously rolling out in the US and UK. These charts help users discover their next favorite book by showcasing popular and trending books on Spotify.