I’m just as tired as you are about hearing that Verizon or Sprint is going to get the iPhone 4. The rumor has been going on for quite some time. Even with the Wall Street Journal reporting on it, there hasn’t been a whole lot to back that up, until now. What AT&T is calling “another very exciting day for customers,” could be a ploy to lock you in to another contract. With the iPhone 4 release, new plans from the exclusive carrier were announced offering current iPhone owners the option to upgrade early; the clincher, you are with them for another 2 years.

“We know that people are eager to get iPhone 4, which is why we moved up the upgrade eligibility date for current iPhone customers by up to six months. This move, combined with the new wireless data plans we announced last week, will make it more affordable for more people to purchase an iPhone and enjoy the benefits of the mobile Internet.”

We shouldn’t expect an iPhone 4G or 4Gs anytime soon, so two years stuck with an iPhone 4 is a good deal. Considering how advanced the hardware is, there’s little room for improvement in the immediate future. But not so good on the other hand if you are seriously considering the move to another carrier. One suspected scenario is that AT&T could be making amends to iPhone 3G customers who were denied the upgrade discount when the iPhone 3Gs was first released. But in all reality, this time it could really mean the company is losing exclusivity and AT&T is just looking for one last run at their customers.