When Palm introduced the Treo Pro earlier this fall, many were disappointed that this Windows Mobile smartphone isn't being offered through a U.S. wireless carrier. Apparently, that's going to change soon.

Sprint's website has an unambiguous reference to the Palm Treo Pro, in what is apparently a signal that this carrier is going to introduce a version of it.

This carrier's software store allows customers to specify which phone they are using. This takes the form of a drop-down box with all the supported models listed in it. The "Palm Treo Pro" now appears on http://softwarestore.sprint.com/wap/phones.php.

Not the First Hint

The version of the Treo Pro that's available now is a GSM device. Sprint uses the CDMA standard though, so naturally it will need a separate version.

Late this summer an unconfirmed report surfaced that indicated that a CDMA version of the Pro is in the works. This could have been referring to a device being created for Sprint.

What about the Treo 800w?

If Sprint really is planning on releasing the Treo Pro in the near future, many are going to question why this carrier introduced the Treo 800w this summer, as these models are very similar.

The 800w was Palm's first Windows Mobile device with a 320-by-320-pixel screen and its first smartphone with Wi-Fi and GPS, while the Treo Pro also has these features. Both also have the same general shape (see image at right).

Still, there are some differences. The Pro is thinner yet has a higher-capacity battery. Also, its sleek black-and-silver design has impressed people who weren't thrilled with the 800w's blue-and-silver color scheme.

A Sprint decision to release a version of the Treo Pro might come down to an underlying difference: the Pro and 800w are made by different companies. A CDMA version of the Pro would be made by HTC, while the 800w is made by Inventec.