The clip-on keyboard-maker Clips is launching a standalone Blackberry-esque smartphone designed primarily for use as a secondary device for messaging.
The Clicks Communicator Android 16 phone, which will be showcased at CES 2026 next week, naturally features the company’s physical keyboard and is headlined by a 4-inch OLED display. There’s a headphone jack, microSD storage up to 2TB, a 50-megapixel rear camera, plus a 24-megapixel front-facing camera.
It’s designed more for “communication, not consumption” with access to WhatsApp, Gmail, Telegram and Slack among other messaging apps. There’s a custom-build launcher that brings notifications from multiple messaging apps together on the homescreen so you can ‘triage’ who’s trying to get in touch with you and why.
There are essentials like support for Google Play so you can feel comfortable leaving your device at home while still being able to pay for goods while out and about. There’s a 4,000mAh battery that will benefit from the smaller display and usage intentions and there’s also Qi2 wireless charging. The company offers a fingerprint sensor within the keyboard’s space bar.
The phone also includes a quite unique ‘Signal LED’ light within the power button. It can be customised to show different colours when “specific people or apps are trying to get your attention”. That power button can also be held to record voice memos or transcribe voice to text.
This sounds like an attractive device for those looking to get away from doomscrolling on social media during the evenings and weekends, while still keeping in touch with those that matter.
The device costs $399 and can be reserved now, with the price increasing to $499 when it actually goes on sale on February 27.
Clicks is also bringing a new version of its click-on keyboard at CES 2026. This one has a built in battery pack to keep your phone replenished.
