Virgin Mobile to Launch HTC One V on Thursday Online

After months of anticipation and leaks, the wait is almost over for the launch of the “entry-level” version of the HTC One series of smartphones in the US, as Virgin Mobile will launch the HTC One V on Thursday for $199.99 on its website, with the official retail launch being set for this weekend in select retailers and being expanded in the coming weeks.

The HTC One V is the budget counterpart to the One S and high-end One X, with a 3.7 inch touch display at WVGA resolution, Android 4.0, 1GHz  Snapdragon processor, Beats Audio integration and a 5.0 megapixel camera with HTC’s camera enhancements which include  capturing still images while recording video without disturbing the video capture process via HTC’s Video Pic functionality, along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and aGPS radios and support for microSD cards.

While the One V is intended to slot in as the HTC Wildfire’s replacement, the phone is markedly more capable than the Wildfire with the 1GHz processor and increased RAM which should satisfy those looking for a cheaper, but still no less capable alternative to the EVO V, which features WiMax access but is also affected by market availability of such services, making the One V a better alternative for those that don’t live in a market with WiMax access, but still want to take advantage of Android 4.0 and HTC’s much improved Sense 4.0 overlay, which adds many usability improvements in key functionality.

Virgin Mobile and Sprint are expected to issue press releases later this morning detailing specific pricing and availability details for the One V ahead of its launch on Thursday as well as official press images.