Gadgets

LAS VEGAS — Last year, the wireless industry obsessed over the iPhone. This year, the industry is buzzing about how to beat it.

Nokia, Samsung and LG all unveiled multifunction phones at CTIA Wireless 2008, the industry's largest trade show.

Nokia was demonstrated its N78, a multimedia phone expected to go on sale in the United States in June.

The N78 has a 3.2-megapixel camera, includes a navigation function and 8 gigabytes of memory, and has Internet radio and easy access to multimedia Web sites like YouTube and Flickr.

Samsung introduced it's iPhone competitor, the Instinct. The Instinct has many features similar to the iPhone's, like a voicemail management system, and the devices look remarkably similar. It can be used to watch live TV and as a modem to connect a PC to the Internet.

LG introduced the Vu, which has a touch screen and multimedia features similar to the iPhone's. The Vu includes an optional new live television service, for $15 a month, LG said.

Geesung Choi, chief executive of Samsung's telecommunications network business, predicted that the trend toward multifunction mobile phones would shift over time. The market will fragment as consumers seek out mobile phones with functions that reflect their strongest needs, like browsing the Web or watching television and movies.