EE has introduced a new scheme called Early Phone Swap, designed to let customers get their hands on a new handset sooner than usual. Rather than waiting until the end of a standard contract term, eligible customers will reportedly be able to swap their current phone for a newer model roughly a year early, without paying anything extra for the privilege.

The move appears aimed at tapping into the appeal of always having the latest flagship device, giving EE customers a way to refresh their tech more often without committing to a pricier plan or an early upgrade fee. Anyone taking up the offer will presumably still need to sort out the practical side of switching devices, such as moving their eSIM to a new phone smoothly.

On the surface this looks like a smart retention play from EE where faster access to new phones is exactly the kind of perk that keeps customers from shopping around, though it's worth watching whether "no extra cost" really holds once contract terms and eligibility conditions are factored in.

For the full story, head over to the original report at EE Newsroom.

I know that if it proves popular the other operators will follow suit. If you like to have the latest and greatest smartphones and gadgets, tell us what you think of this idea below, and whether it would convince you to change provider.