ZTE Render joins U.S. Cellular's Windows Phone lineup with $79.99 price tag

U.S. Cellular's lineup of Windows Phone devices has been fairly lean to date, with the carrier offering just a single handset to fans of Microsoft's mobile platform. That's changed now, though, as U.S. Cellular has added a second Windows Phone product to its roster. The ZTE Render is now available from U.S. Cellular for $79.99 with a two-year contract and $100 mail-in rebate. When it comes to specs, the Render's packing a 4-inch WVGA display and 5-megapixel camera on the outside as well as a 1GHz processor, 4GB storage, 512MB RAM and a 1,600mAh battery stuffed into its body. The OS that customers can expect to find on-board is Windows Phone 7.5 (Tango 2).

If you're feeling a bit of déjà vu right now, it may be due to the fact that we've already seen the Render once before. The device is actually a U.S. Cellular-friendly version of the ZTE Orbit, which was announced way back in late February at Mobile World Congress. While the ZTE Render is unlikely to appeal to the hardcore Windows Phone enthusiasts that are waiting for the arrival of Windows Phone 8 later this year, it's still good to see USCC expanding its Windows Phone lineup. Here's to hoping that the flow of new Windows Phone handsets hitting U.S. Cellular will pick up once Windows Phone 8 lands.

Via WPCentral, U.S. Cellular