The Clicks co-founder explains who its tiny Communicator phone is for

Clicks is an apologetically gadgety firm, making gear that feels charmingly out-of-place in a world the place virtually each smartphone out there’s an all-screen slab. That was clearly two years in the past when the corporate first revealed its keyboard case that introduced tactile typing to the iPhone and ultimately different Android units. Quite than that being a one-off curiosity, the corporate had two new announcements at CES 2026: a magnetic keyboard accent that additionally doubles as a battery financial institution and small, squat cell phone with a keyboard. And whereas there isn’t a working prototype of the Clicks Communicator accessible for the press to see, I bought to take a look at the brand new Energy Keyboard speak with Clicks co-founder and former BlackBerry advertising director Jeff Gadway about the place he thinks his merchandise match into the smartphone world.

At first look, the $79 Energy Keyboard appears like a giant enchancment over the unique Clicks Keyboard case. It magnetically attaches to any telephone with Qi2 and connects over Bluetooth. The keyboard itself is just like the unique Clicks keyboard, however there’s a devoted quantity row which is a pleasant enchancment. However the factor that actually caught my eye was its old-school slider type issue. When closed, the Energy Keyboard sits on the again of your telephone like a thick wi-fi battery pack — however it satisfyingly slides as much as reveal the keyboard just like the Palm Pre or BlackBerry Torch smartphones of previous.

The Energy Keyboard’s final trick is that it may cost your telephone up when connected. The battery itself isn’t large, so that you’re not going to completely recharge a contemporary smartphone. However it’s nonetheless a pleasant addition for for those who want some energy in a pinch. You may also set it up so it doesn’t cost your telephone and as a substitute makes use of all of the battery to energy the keyboard; in that state of affairs, the keyboard will final weeks with out a cost. Or you possibly can designate a share that may solely be utilized by the keyboard — for instance, if the battery pack’s cost drops under 20 %, it’ll cease charging your telephone and as a substitute save that energy for the keyboard.

As somebody who has by no means owned a smartphone with a keyboard, I can’t say how good the Clicks keyboard truly is — there can be a particular studying curve earlier than I bought snug with it. It actually feels tiny to me, however for those who simply kind on and belief autocorrect you need to get the hold of it earlier than too lengthy. Whether or not the advantages of utilizing a bodily keyboard matter are as much as you to determine. It’s good seeing an even bigger display unobstructed by the digital keyboard, however I really feel far too set in my touchscreen methods to think about switching it up. However some individuals simply beloved their keyboards, and for them this gadget would possibly hit the spot.

The Clicks Communicator is the extra sudden of the 2 new units the comapny is engaged on, however with out a working demo mannequin I can’t render any judgement about the way it will truly work. When it was introduced, Clicks particularly stated they had been focusing on individuals who used a number of units, a demographic that I wasn’t totally satisfied was giant sufficient to justify the Communicator’s existence. However Gadway assured me the corporate had achieved loads of analysis earlier than shifting into the {hardware} manufacturing part.

“You’ve got bought people who find themselves mandated to hold a second gadget for company deploy. Then you definitely’ve bought people who find themselves small enterprise homeowners and need to have a separate telephone for his or her small enterprise,” he stated. “In markets like Europe, there is a requirement for employers to offer individuals the choice to have a separate gadget and create extra separation. You’ve got bought vacationers who need a second SIM, and you then’ve bought this rising cohort of digital detox, digital minimalism, digital well-being individuals.” None of these segments may be large by itself, however add all of it up and the Clicks group felt like they’d a good alternative.

The opposite half of the thought course of was making the Communicator totally different from an iPhone or Pixel — as a substitute of getting two basically equivalent units, Clicks wished to make the Communicator with a definite focus. “Our thought course of was that complementary units in tech are on the rise,’ Gadway stated. “You put on an Oura Ring and also you put on a wise watch; you carry an e-reader for studying and a pill for content material consumption. So why should not your second telephone be higher at sure issues than your first telephone as a substitute of simply being a straight duplicate?”

That’s the place the squarish, 4-inch touchscreen, keyboard and customized implementation of the Niagara Android launcher, which is a list-based UI fairly than a grid of apps. The customized Clicks implementation of it focuses in your messaging apps and shortly triaging by new objects (therefore the Communicator title). The keyboard itself is contact delicate and might be swiped throughout to navigate and take actions on what you see. However the Communicator is simply an Android telephone at coronary heart which suggests you possibly can set up any apps that you simply discover important — although its type issue modifications what it’s best used for. “You may obtain no matter apps you need, however we have optimized it to be higher at particular issues,” Gadway stated. “So, you recognize, do you need to watch letterboxed TikTok movies on this? In all probability not. You possibly can, however it’s not the factor you are going to attain for to try this. However we’re not going to offer you a product that restricts what you are able to do.”

The advantage of being a smaller {hardware} maker is that Clicks doesn’t have to promote hundreds of thousands of those — they’re simply excited by providing an alternate for individuals who would possibly take pleasure in it, simply as they’ve achieved with their keyboard equipment. After all, the Communicator is an even bigger funding; it’s up for pre-order now for $399 (that’s Pixel 9a territory, for comparability). As soon as it launches within the second half of the yr, we’ll discover out if it may discover its viewers.