Jun 21, 2011 18:11 GMT  ·  By

HTC EVO 4G, the first Android-based mobile phone at Sprint to offer support for the wireless carrier's WiMAX network, is now available for purchase for free through various retailers in the United States.

The handset was launched at Sprint last year, but the company already added new WiMAX-capable devices to its offering, and is also gearing up for the release of more of them.

The value of HTC EVO 4G has diminished significantly, as some of the new Android-based mobile phones come with more powerful hardware inside, as well as with newer software.

At the moment, the handset can be purchased from three different retailers in the United States for free or almost free upon the signing of a contract agreement with Sprint.

Wirefly and Best Buy are the two retailers that list the HTC EVO 4G as available for free, while Amazon has it for $0.01.

Although packing older hardware, the mobile phone still includes great capabilities, with a 1 GHz application processor packed inside, and with 512 MB of RAM to accompany it.

The handset also sports a 4.3-inch capacitive touchscreen display that can deliver a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, as well as an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, with support for 720p HD video recording, and a 1.3 MP front-facing camera.

The specifications list of HTC EVO 4G also includes 1GB of ROM, complemented by a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 32GB of additional storage space.

Moreover, the handset comes with WiMAX and 3G connectivity options, as well as with WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities, built-in GPS receiver, or a 1500 mAh battery.

As stated above, the EVO 4G should soon see newer Android devices launched at Sprint with support for the carrier's 4G network, including the EVO 3D, which brings 3D recording and playback capabilities into the mix, along with a dual-core processor and more.

The HTC EVO 4G can be seen available for purchase here at Amazon, here at Best Buy, and here at Wirefly (via Android Police).