We heard earlier this month that Virgin Mobile might begin selling the HTC One V before June was over, and it looks like that's exactly what has happened. The One V is now available for purchase on Virgin's website, with pricing set at $199.99. As with other devices offered by Virgin Mobile, the One V is being offered contract-free. HTC's One V features a 3.7-inch 800x480 display, 1GHz processor, 5-megapixel camera and Android 4.0 beneath the HTC Sense 4 overlay.

In other Virgin Mobile news, Bloomberg Businessweek is reporting that the prepaid operator is going to open its first 10 retail stores in Chicago tomorrow. Virgin Mobile currently sells its devices through other retail stores like Best Buy and Target, but the company is planning to open up 10 shops of its own to help show off its version of the iPhone, which is currently available online. The operator told Bloomberg Businessweek that these first 10 Chicago stores "could lead to a national rollout."

With the One V, iPhone and physical stores, this looks like a big week for Virgin Mobile. Priced at $199.99, the One V looks like a nice option for anyone in the market for a prepaid Android phone. Virgin's decision to open up a handful of retail stores is a bit of a surprise considering that it's only sold its products through other retailers in the past, but it's definitely a move that could help to spread the word of the availability of its iPhone and bring new customers to the operator. So, anyone out there planning on picking up Virgin Mobile's HTC One V or iPhone?

Via Phone Scoop, The Verge, Bloomberg Businessweek, Virgin Mobile (1), (2)