O2 Plans Free iPhones. Device Owners to Get Free Upgrades.

You'd like a free 3G iPhone, right? Well, according to voices on the Internet, you got it! Whether you already own Apple's smartphone, or if you're just looking to get rid of that BlackBerry, O2 is said to have some pretty darn good offers planned for you. It's worth checking out, even though it's just a rumor for now.

As most of you already know by now, Apple is widely expected to unveil a new portable device at this year's World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). Many suggested Apple would unveil a new Mac tablet, larger and higher-specced than its currently available smartphone but, given the confidence network operators have lately, I'd say it's 3G iPhone for now.

Sources of Macworld UK claim the device will initially go for around £100. The plan for this particular price tag would be an 18-month contract, "but Apple's UK network partner may harbor deeper plans for the launch of the device," the website claims. This includes free upgrades, free phones for high-tariff users and pay-as-you-go deals, according to tipsters: "O2 may sell the iPhone in the UK on a pay-as-you-go basis," the publication says, "offering the device contract-free at the same price as the preceding model, £269."

Another strategy O2 could approach to make folks go for the "free" device, would imply new customers signing-up to the most expensive tariff (obviously), which is currently the £75 per month tariff that offers 3,000 minutes of calling and 500 text messages, according to the same source.

Also, as an existing iPhone user, you may be offered the chance to upgrade to the new model by "trading in" your old iPhone in exchange for another 18-month contract. Sounds quite fair really, if you're convinced iPhone is the way to go. However, how many people will be interested in such deals remains to be seen, as are the deals themselves.