Sprint to launch WiMax handset in June

The HTC EVO 4G is the first to use Sprint's WiMax wireless network

Wireless carrier Sprint has confirmed that its first WiMax mobile handset will be released in the US on 4 June.

The HTC EVO 4G will cost $299 (£205) with a two-year contract. Users will be able to receive $100 (£68) back on the purchase through a mail-in rebate.

First revealed earlier this year, the handset will be the first to use the WiMax wireless network which Sprint has been testing in a number of US cities.

The EVO 4G has a 4.3in screen and 8GB of removable storage with room for up to 32GB. It is powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm processor, and has a back-mounted 8-megapixel camera and a front-mounted 1.5-megapixel camera for video chat.

"The HTC EVO 4G is a fantastic 3G device, but when you use it in our growing 4G coverage area, it becomes a multimedia powerhouse," said Sprint chief executive Dan Hesse. "The experience is much like going from TV to HDTV."

The handset marks a step forward in the showdown between the WiMax and Long Term Evolution standards.

Both are lobbying for control of the mobile market as vendors look to a successor to the current 3G wireless broadband format.