Shazam also isn’t the first to incorporate this visual capability. Amazon also has image recognition in its mobile app. These moves are creating a more elaborate web of consumer activity centered around smartphones. It makes sense that Amazon, digital retailer extraordinaire, would want to give people more chances to price-compare, but what’s Shazam’s end goal in expanding beyond audio?
For starters, it’s bringing in some high-profile partnerships. Disney, HarperCollins, Conde Nast, Hearst, and Time Inc are just some of the businesses helping to launch the new Shazamable images. These new partners and new features could be serving to reposition Shazam as more than a music company, adding a specialization in the technology that connects our digital, mobile, and analog experiences. It’s possible that it wants to become a tech brand with the same degree of ubiquity as Amazon.