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What do you mainly use Spotify for? Enjoying the music? Are you keeping up with your favorite podcasts? Listening to audiobooks? Well, the next time you open it (at least on Android) you can use it to purchase a book \u2014 not just an ebook, mind you, but a physical book. <\/p>\n
As reported by TechCrunch<\/a>Spotify is now selling physical books on its Android app to users in the US and UK, with plans to introduce the feature to iPhones next week. The company first announced the initiative in February and revealed that it was partnering with bookshop.org<\/a> To facilitate transactions. This isn’t your typical corporate deal: Bookshop.org is designed to connect buyers with their local independent bookstore, rather than some giant conglomerate or distributor. Bookshop says that 50% of the book sale price goes directly to the publisher (who then pays the author), while 30% goes to the bookstore you choose when you buy. The other 10% goes into a profit-sharing fund that is distributed among all the bookstores the site works with. <\/p>\n While it may seem a little silly to think about purchasing a book through Spotify, this app is basically just for music. But like many platforms, Spotify has adapted and expanded its offerings over the years. It already sells audiobooks, so why not print and e-books? In fact, Spotify is now competing directly with Amazon as the one place you can go for all your literary needs, whether you prefer to read or listen to your books. Maybe a Spotify-branded e-reader will be next\u2014although the last time Spotify tried to sell its own device, It didn’t work out in the end<\/a> thoroughly. <\/p>\n Note that there is no dedicated storefront to purchase books on Spotify. Instead, you’ll see a “Get a copy for your bookshelf” button below individual audiobooks. When you select it, you’ll be taken to the Bookshop.org page for that book. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n What do you think so far? In addition to this news, Spotify also announced an update to Pages Match, a feature that lets you sync your location to a book using your phone’s camera. The feature now supports over 30 languages, including French, German, and Swedish. Spotify’s audiobook summary feature, “Audiobook Recaps,” is now available on Android as well. Previously, this feature was exclusive to iOS, and let users hear a summary of what they had already heard in the audiobook. <\/p>\n There have also been updates to audiobook charts throughout the app, showing customers which books are currently selling best. The Audiobook Chart recently launched in Germany, and users in the US and UK now also have a dedicated chart for the most popular children’s and family-oriented audiobooks. <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\nSpotify’s “Page Match” and “Audiobook Recaps” are also getting updates<\/h2>\n