Sprint Says It Will Begin Shipping HTC Evo 4G LTE Pre-Orders on Thursday

Although a patent dispute has held up its full launch, Sprint said it will start shipping its HTC Evo 4G on Thursday to those who have pre-ordered the phone.

There’s no word just yet on when the phone will show up in retail stores.

“Sprint expects to begin shipping HTC EVO 4G LTE for arrival on or around Thursday, May 24, to customers who pre-ordered the device online from Sprint,” Sprint said in a statement. “We will provide details on the full national launch as soon as possible.”

Shipments of that product — and of AT&T’s HTC One X — have been held up by an exclusion order obtained by Apple against HTC. The order means that all HTC shipments have to be inspected by U.S. Customs before entering the country.

HTC said on Sunday that the products are starting to make their way through U.S. Customs.