Looks like Sprint intends to keep the lid on pricing for their upcoming iPhone wannabe – aka the Sprint Instinct – until some time after the 3G iPhone launches. An article Thursday in Computerworld quotes Sprint director of product commercialization David Owens as denying that the Sprint Instinct is an iPhone copycat because…

The Instinct differs from the iPhone in its touch-screen technology in a few ways, including its addition of haptic technology that gives a “buzz” sensation to a person touching its screen. The iPhone has no tactile response, Owens noted. The Instinct’s on-screen keyboard also loads in some functions in landscape mode, instead of portrait mode, making its keyboard larger than the iPhone’s, which testers have said helps limit so-called fat-fingering, said Owens and spokeswoman Michelle Mermelstein.

It has been widely reported that when the Instinct launches on June 20, 2008 that users must choose from one of the expensive Simply Everything plans (starting at $69/mo) which include unlimited data and messaging.

Prediction: Sprint will price the Instinct $100 cheaper than whatever the 3g iPhone is released at and the price will quickly fall to free.

Here’s a quick video look at the Sprint Instinct. Pretend not to notice that the first part of the video features crazy lights and music, making it seem like they were filming inside an adult cabaret. Watch for the warning at 3:00 when Phonescoop asks to try the device and the Sprint rep say’s “the browser could crash”.

Link: ComputerWorld: Instinct smart phone to require Sprint data plan at $69.99 per month