BlackBerry maker Research In Motion could unveil its much-awaited new tablet computer as early as next week at a developers' conference in San Francisco, says a media report.
The introduction of tablet and new operating system come at a critical time for RIM, whose BlackBerry phones are facing increasingly tough competition from Apple Inc's iPhone as well as handsets that run on Google Inc's Android operating system.
Attributing to people familiar with the plan, The Wall Street Journal reported that the new tablet called BlackPad, is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of this year.
The device will feature a seven-inch touch screen and one or two built-in cameras. It will have Bluetooth and broadband connections but will only be able to connect to cellular networks through a BlackBerry smartphone, the report noted.
RIM will use a new operating system built by QNX Software Systems, it added.
RIM bought QNX, a maker of operating systems used in everything from cars to nuclear reactors, earlier this year.
The RIM tablet is being manufactured by Quanta Computer Inc of Taiwan, and will run on chips from Marvell Technology Group Inc, the report said citing people familiar with the tablet's manufacturing.
According to the publication, RIM said it doesn't comment on rumors or speculation.
