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The device, dubbed the Thunder, will be sold exclusively through Vodafone in countries outside the US, reports the The Wall Street Journal.

Rumours of a touchscreen BlackBerry surfaced on the internet earlier in the week, suggesting it would feature four hardware buttons, no keyboard and a screen a 3.5in, 320x480 display, similar to that on the iPhone. It's also expected to feature 3G.

RIM declined to comment on the report, but the company's co-chief executive officer Jim Balsillie has admitted in the past that RIM would pursue a touchscreen device if customers asked for it.

Introducing a touch-screen BlackBerry would bring RIM further into competition with Apple, and continue its push to diversify away from its executive client base.

Earlier in the week, RIM announced its BlackBerry Bold, a sleek smartphone with a keyboard aimed at its core base of business users.