The second generation iPhone, you know, the one that will soon come with 3G connectivity, might be cheaper than the first version, the EDGE-only one. This will be possible thanks to AT&T, the sole carrier who can currently sell the iPhone in the US (apparently, it will be the only one selling the 3G version too).

According to Fortune (that quotes someone "familiar with the strategy"), when the 3G iPhone will hit AT&T stores, the double-t carrier will subsidize its price, bringing the 8GB edition to only $199, from $399, and the 16GB edition to only $299, from $499. This discount will only be available to customers who also want to sign a two-year contract agreement with AT&T.

Now, before getting your hopes up - meaning all those who want a 3G iPhone - we have to mention that the "cheap 3G iPhone" is only a rumor for the moment, so until official statements from AT&T or Apple come out, you should stick to the thought that the long-awaited 3G handset will in fact have a "normal" price.

Anyway, if the $199 pricing proves to be true, the 3G iPhone will probably sell even better than the original one (I believe you remember the huge queues that formed outside AT&T's stores when the iPhone first came out). With such a price tag, Apple's handset will be accessible to a wider range of users, and they'll surely not miss the chance to get their hands on the 3G touchscreen device.

Besides the fact that it could cost as much as two Palm Centros, the 3G iPhone will (apparently) have a slimmer case, with about 2.5 millimeters, and it will also feature built-in GPS. So what we'll have is a 9.1 millimeters thick advanced piece of technology with even more features than the existent iPhone. I don't know why, but this sounds too good to be true. We'll see in June, when the 3G iPhone is rumored to be launched, if the price discount detail is true.