Nokia intros 1508 phone for US CDMA carriers

Nokia today quietly unveiled the 1580, a starter candybar phone for CDMA carriers, most of which operate in the US. The phone sits just above Nokia's most basic phones with an FM radio as its most advanced feature; the phone also supports using its micro USB connection both to charge and to supply legacy 1xRTT data access to a computer through tethering. A color display, a 2.5mm headset jack, and basic voice memo recording are its other standout features.

The company doesn't list price but says it will bring the 1508 to "select" CDMA carriers during the summer in black as well as silver/blue and silver/red two-tone versions. Carriers haven't been named, though the low-cost nature of the phone suggests that it will be a free-on-contract phone for Alltel, Sprint or Verizon, and potentially smaller carriers such as Cricket, Virgin Mobile, or more regional providers.