NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Apple Inc. said Tuesday it signed a deal with U2 and Universal Music Group to sell a special-edition iPod loaded with the Irish rock group's new album.
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Apple launches a special-edition iPod that's loaded with U2's new album. |
The company also introduced a new version of iPod that comes with a color screen and greater capacity that could store digital music and digital images.
Apple (up $0.29 to $47.84, Research) said the new iPod Photo is a multimedia device with a color screen, which comes with 40 gigabytes or 60 gigabytes of storage. The company has already begun selling the new devices on its online store Tuesday for $499 and $599, respectively.
The black U2 iPod -- with 20 gigabytes -- will ship in mid-November for $349, according to Apple.
In addition, Apple has created the online music industry's first-of-its-kind "Digital Box Set." The first digital box set, "The Complete U2," will contain over 400 tracks including all of the band's albums. Fans will be able to purchase and download "The Complete U2" on Apple's iTunes Music Store in the United States and Europe beginning in late November for $149.
"With iPod and iTunes, Apple has created a crossroads of art, commerce and technology which feels good for both musicians and fans," said U2's lead singer Bono.
Apple remains the undisputed leader in digital music players and online music sales with the iPod, iPod mini and the iTunes online music store. It has more than 60 percent of the market for players that use either flash memory chips or higher-capacity hard disk drives to store songs, according industry research firm NPD Group, cited by Reuters.
Since the iPod's introduction in October 2001, Apple has sold more than 6 million iPods, 2 million alone in Apple's most recent quarter, according to Reuters.
The timing of the iPod release coincides with the upcoming release of the Dublin-based band's new album "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb." An Apple TV ad features new U2 song "Vertigo," a single from the album.
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