MUMBAI: Universal Music Catalogue is hailing the release this week of 'the world’s first-ever digital box set' available on tablets and smartphones - a special 2013 edition of The Who’s 1969 album, Tommy.

UMC has collaborated with developers MODO to produce a brand new iPad digital box set application, to complement the recently-released deluxe and super deluxe editions of Tommy.

Users can download the app for free. If they already have Tommy in their iTunes music collection they can play the full tracks on tablet devices along with the visuals and extra features that accompany the super deluxe set. If not, they can play 90-second edited previews through iTunes and buy them directly.

The digital box set also includes: a built-in music player (functional whilst reading the book and exploring the photos). The video section includes five tracks streamed into the app taken from The Who’s Live At The Coliseum ’69 show; a specially-developed Pinball Game - created using the NYC Metropolitan Opera House gig of 1970 poster image that encourages users to play and post their scores as well as links to the official Who site, official store and social channels.

Universal Music Group International digital head Geoff Smith said: “The Tommy digital box set transforms the beautiful physical box edition into a unique and fully-immersive experience allowing fans of all ages across the world to access and explore this seminal album in a fully interactive way.”

News of Android and Windows 8 versions of the app will be announced in due course.