It seems that these days anything that hits the Big Blue network is doing so because Apple will soon pull exclusivity over the iPhone from AT&T. It now appears that the latest rumour doing the rounds is that the BlackBerry Torch is being positioned as a customer retainer should Apple pull said exclusivity and product the much talked about Verizon iPhone.

According to an article over on LA News Monitor, by way of a Forbes article, AT&T has said that the BlackBerry Torch is their “most significant non-iPhone launch this year,” and will offer the BlackBerry Torch as of the 12th of August with a price tag of $199.

Apparently the Forbes article says that AT&T commissioned the new Torch with a view to reducing their dependence on the iPhone especially as there are strong rumours lately of a Verizon iPhone.

So, if the rumour is true and the Big Blue is positioning the new RIM BlackBerry Torch as a Verizon iPhone rival, perhaps AT&T already knows they are going to lose exclusivity and that Apple is pushing for the much sought after Verizon iPhone, what you think?