We knew it was coming, and probably in September.  But today, Sprint took all the fun out of guessing by unveiling its version of the HTC Touch Pro2 Windows Mobile Smartphone (Windows Phone).

The press release names September 8 as the day the new smartphone will go on sale via its web site and phone sales department, with in-store availability to follow.

The Sprint HTC Touch Pro2 will sell for $449 with a $100 mail-in rebate, bringing the final price to a whopping $349; fortunately, like the T-Mobile version of the Touch Pro2 (which also sells for $350) third-party retailers are likely to offer this new Windows Phone for much less within a couple of weeks of its release.

Learn More: Full Details, Specs on the Sprint HTC Touch Pro2

Source: Sprint Press Release

The fact that Sprint and Verizon will launch their respective versions of the HTC Touch Pro2 with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional isn’t exactly hot news; but according to WMExperts, each company’s model already has a test version of Windows Mobile 6.5 ROMs under review, which – to us – was an interesting tidbit.

HTC has touted the Windows Mobile 6.5 readiness of the Touch Pro2 and Touch Diamond2 since the two handsets were first announced earlier this year, but if the WMExperts story is true the OS upgrade is a certainty, not just an exercise in technical software compatibility.  This is of import to many users who don’t wish to invest in a device today that won’t be issued an upgrade to the upcoming Microsoft mobile OS when it’s released later this year.

No word on availability of the upgrades at this time, or whether the companies will charge for them.

Sprint HTC Touch Pro2

Verizon Wireless HTC Touch Pro2

According to a new report at DigiTimes, Microsoft’s plans for Windows Mobile in the coming year will be anything but straightforward.  The piece predicts that Windows Mobile 6.5 – as we’ve seen it up to now – will launch on October 1, but be followed by an upgraded, more touch-friendly version (6.5SE?) slated for release in February 2010.  Windows Mobile 7 would arrive in Q4 (between October and December) of 2010, months later than expected.

But the story doesn’t end there.  Digitimes goes on to state that when Microsoft does finally release Windows Mobile 7, WinMo 6.5 will remain. Rather than replacing 6.5 or 6.5SE, Windows Mobile 7 would be the premium version of Microsoft’s mobile OS, while 6.5 licenses would be reduced in price and become a budget option.

We’re not sold on every aspect of this theory, but it likely contains nuggets of truth.  The “dual-platform strategy,” as the story labels it, makes sense in some respects, but as told it doesn’t seem entirely likely.  Microsoft does need a low-cost OS to compete with the free Android OS and the all-but free Apple iPhone OS (free in that only Apple uses it and doesn’t have to pay itself for the license).  But wouldn’t it be better to lower the cost of the Windows Mobile 7 license across the board, while still providing top-tier features?

If Microsoft wants to reboot its mobile OS over the next 16 months, it must eliminate or greatly reduce the impact of its licensing fees since its primary competitors’ handsets’ final price isn’t impacted by an operating system fee.

Eyeing the T-Mobile HTC Touch Pro2, but not exactly ecstatic about the $350 price tag?  Join the mob club.

Fortunately, our go-to wireless store has the new Windows Mobile smartphone for $150 less than the T-Mobile web store; LetsTalk.com is offering the T-Mobile Touch Pro2 for $199 at checkout (with free shipping and without any mail-in rebate).

NVIDIA has been touting its low-power Tegra System-On-A-Chip (SoC) for mobile devices since early last year, and now – for the first time – we’re beginning to see this system show up in handheld spec listings.  The upcoming Zune HD is powered by the Tegra APX 2600, which gives the player its 720p HD video capabilities.

But this SoC won’t be limited to dedicated multimedia devices; NVIDIA’s Tegra APX series of SoCs will also power future Windows Mobile handhelds, and will provide not only for HD video output, but for a more visually appealing UI as well.

In a press release regarding the Zune HD, NVIDIA states that the company has at least “50 active Tegra processor-based design projects currently in the works.”  At least some of these devices are sure to be Windows Phones, smartphones powered by Windows Mobile 6.5, or (more likely) Windows Mobile 7 which is due out next year.

What will Tegra mean for future Windows Mobile smartphones?  Perhaps most importantly, Tegra will provide the processing power for a new User Interface, which Microsoft has indicated is a main focus of Windows Mobile 7.  Other benefits include superior video playback, faster rendering of web pages in a mobile browser, support for OLED screens, up to 12MP of image processing from a digital camera, HDMI output to TVs and other video devices, device screen resolutions up to 1280×1050, and OpenGL & Direct3D Mobile support.

Rumors concerning the HTC Leo have been floating around for a while, and now thanks to the ai.rs blog, we we may just have our first glimpse of the upcoming Windows Phone.

The HTC Leo, according to the same blog, will be powered by a Qualcomm MSM8250 1GHz Snapdragon CPU and Windows Mobile 6.5, have a 5MP digital camera, a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a standard 3.5mm audio jack, a microSDHC flash memory card slot, 512MB of flash storage and GPS.

This image looks to be a rendering rather than an actual product photo, but HTC often releases its first product images in this way.  Of course, without official confirmation, this image and all of the details surrounding the Leo should be treated as rumor.

The ai.rs blog suggests this model will be released somewhere in the world by October; perhaps, but we figure such a device won’t make an appearance until (at least) early 2010 – hope we’re wrong.

Add 16GB of storage to your Windows Mobile smartphone (or any other compatible device) with the SanDisk 16GB microSDHC flash memory card. This card is available at Amazon.com for $38 plus shipping.  Price subject to change at any time.  Compatible with microSDHC card slots only.

As of this writing, we couldn’t find a better price online.  Even eBay’s BuyItNow prices start at $47. 

If you find a store selling this product for less, let us know.

HTC’s upcoming Touch Pro2 Windows Mobile Smartphone (Windows Phone) is already confirmed for T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless, and we’ve always assumed it would show up on AT&T and Sprint as well. 

We still don’t have any hard info on the AT&T release, but PhoneArena has crossed Sprint off the will-the-or-won’t-they list with not only a small photo of a Sprint-branded Touch Pro2, but with a possible release date: September 3.

The Sprint Touch Pro2 would replace the current Touch Pro.

Verizon Wireless currently sells seven Windows Mobile Smartphones handhelds (new, non-refurbished): they are the Samsung Saga, HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro, Samsung Omnia, SMT5800, HTC Ozone and XV6900 (HTC Touch). 

With the exception of one, the Samsung Saga, all are now currently being sold by the wireless carrier for $99 or less.  This price requires a two-year service agreement, is after online discounts and does not require any type of mail in rebate.

This move has likely been taken to clear out inventory for upcoming handsets.  Each of these devices are currently available from the Verizon Wireless Web Store.

via BGR