The 180-year-old independent magazine's order comes just two months after Applecart's parent firm, Fresh Media Group (FMG), first previewed the tool.

Ceros was developed following consultations with FMG clients and aims to provide publishers with the same business model they would get from printed titles.

FMG recruited 10 software developers during the research and launch phase of the digital edition system, which it now refers to as Applecart's "flagship".

"Applecart pioneered digital editions in the UK and our strategy of quiet evolution has culminated in the most publisher-centric system of its kind," said Applecart managing director Dominic Duffy.