The Instinct touch-screen phone includes a 3-inch display and multimedia capabilities to compete with the Apple iPhone.
(click for image gallery)

In a move to poach sales away from the upcoming iPhone 3G, Sprint said Wednesday the Samsung Instinct will be available June 20 for $129.99.

To get that price, subscribers will have to sign up for a two-year contract and use a $100 mail-in rebate. Instinct users have to choose an unlimited data plan to go along with their voice service, making the minimum monthly payment $69.99, about equal to the cheapest iPhone 3G plan.

Since being announced in April, the Instinct has often been compared to Apple's handset, sometimes by Samsung itself. Both devices sport a large touch-screen display, have a virtual QWERTY keyboard, and are capable of multimedia playback.

The Instinct does have many features that the original iPhone doesn't. Samsung's handset runs on Sprint's high-speed CDMA EV-DO Rev A network for mobile Internet access, and it also has built-in GPS that can provide turn-by-turn driving directions.

The upcoming iPhone 3G will have 3G network capabilities, will feature built-in GPS, and the 8-GB version will cost $199 with a two-year contract. But the Instinct still has some features that Apple's handset will lack.

Samsung's device sports a 2-megapixel camera with video capabilities, stereo Bluetooth capability, and tactile feedback on the virtual keyboard. The Instinct will come with an extra user-replaceable battery and has a microSD slot to expand the device's memory.

The Instinct also is eligible for Sprint's Simply Everything Plan, which offers unlimited voice, data, and texting services for $99.99 a month. By comparison, AT&T users will have to pay at least $119 for similar services.

Other features of the Instinct include an Internet browser, e-mail access, text messaging, and access to Sprint's music and video services.