Mobile iNews

The mobile operator O2 appears to be in the thick of a lot of interesting news and speculation.

A representative from Telefonica, O2’s parent company, is reported in the Spanish newspaper ‘Expansion’, that O2 had been given exclusive rights to the Palm Pre in the UK, Spain and Latin America. The device is being widely viewed as a rival to Apple’s iPhone. If O2 did win the exclusive right to launch the Palm Pre in the UK it would have both the exclusive rights to the iPhone and the Palm Pre in the UK. This may be a view by some as not in the consumer’s best interests restricting both devices to a single network and effectively minimising their market by pitching the two to the same set of customers.

Apple is widely expected to launch a third-generation version of its iPhone this summer. The next generation device is scheduled to be announced next Tuesday in Cupertino. Rumours speculate as to the expected features with SMS forwarding and the provision of cut and paste facilities being top of most guess lists along with the ability to ‘tether’ and act as a wireless internet connection for a computer and the ability to run multiple applications and have background applications. Chinese companies also claim to have accessories for a small-size ‘Nano’ iPhone.

O2 recently announced the sale of the one-millionth iPhone in the UK. ‘Mobile Today’ report that O2 wants to reduce its inventory before new iPhones arrive and will introduce new pricing in May reducing existing 16GB version from being free on a £75 per month contract and the 8GB version free on £75 and £45 per-month plans to being free on £35 and £45 per-month plans.

This like a its going to be a good year for O2 and May a good month to pick up a cheap iPhone in the UK.