Not all phones need to be packed with cameras, the very latest silicon and numerous features that many will never touch. In some instances, less is more – and the Clicks Communicator is the perfect example of this.
Announced alongside a new $79 magnetic Bluetooth keyboard, the Clicks Communicator is the first phone from the brand previously known for bringing a Blackberry-like typing experience to iPhones and Android phones.
I’ve enjoyed the few previous products I have used from Clicks. I used the Keyboard Case extensively; however, the extra bulk it added to my already massive iPhone 15 Pro Max made me, sadly, have to give it up.
But I really liked the product and what the brand stood for. As someone who grew up spending hours a day stuck in BBM chats on a Blackberry Bold, the fantastically well-thought-out keyboard filled me with plenty of nostalgia, and ever since I removed the case, I’ve wanted a way to experience it again.
The Clicks Communicator looks to be the answer. In the simplest terms, this is a BlackBerry for 2026 – a modern smartphone designed predominantly for communication, whether that be WhatsApp, Slack, Telegram or email.
This isn’t your typical Android phone
It’s a small device, with a square-ish display and a full QWERTY keyboard that is reminiscent of the very best BlackBerry phones.
There’s a 3.5mm headphone jack on top, SD card expansion, a physical button for shutting off notifications and a quick-access key that can double up as a customizable notification light. Inside there’s a MediaTek chip, a 4000mAh battery and typical connectivity features like NFC and eSIM.
Compared to the very best Android phones, Clicks Communicator couldn’t be more different.
In fact, it doesn’t seem like, at least for the most part, the reason for the Clicks Communicator existing is to replace the phone that’s already in your pocket, but sit alongside it.
“We’ve been using the Kindle analogy a lot. The Communicator is to your phone what a Kindle is to your tablet. They’re complementary standalone devices, but they sort of work together to fill a need,” said Clicks’ chief marketing officer and co-founder, Jeff Gadway, in a chat with Trusted Reviews shortly after the product was announced.
Alongside speaking to Jeff, who has previously worked at BlackBerry, I got the chance to spend some time with an early prototype of the Communicator. While this unit was not a functional phone, it was designed to mimic how the final product will look and feel.
As you can probably guess, the keyboard is the star – and it’s great. It’s around 30% larger than the keyboard on the Clicks case, and this improves the typing experience substantially. After a few minutes of practice, I could already feel my brain getting used to the nuances as I was moving across the board.
Embedded in the space bar is a fingerprint sensor for biometric unlocking, and there will be numerous shortcuts built in that’ll be instantly familiar to anyone who spent time with a BlackBerry device.
The screen is a 4.03-inch OLED panel, with a 120Hz refresh rate and a 1080 x 1200 resolution. It is slightly raised, so it matches the elevation of the keys. The size and shape are again reminiscent of some of the best BlackBerry devices and perfect for a device that is for messaging, rather than watching videos or playing games.
Does it need a camera?
There are two cameras on the Communicator, one on the front and another on the back.
When asked whether or not the team had ever thought about ditching the camera completely to keep things as simple as possible, Jeff said, “We did, actually. That was a very spirited discussion, because we said this is your second phone, maybe you don’t have a camera. Ultimately, we said there are a lot of scenarios where, especially as a communication device, you want to be able to do video calls, right? Or if you do want to take this out…you’ve got to scan QR codes. So we didn’t want to not put a camera in at all, because then I think it really limits the utility of the product.”
Don’t expect a flagship camera experience from the 50-megapixel shooter, though.
While the size and weight of the prototype unit I used are representative of the final product, there are still decisions to be firmly made on the exact hues of the available colours and corresponding rear panels.
On the final units, the back panel will be removable, and there will be alternative colour options and materials available.
I was immediately taken with a deep green colour and a brown leather rear combination, although all the options are tasteful. I really appreciate the hit of customisability in the design, especially with many phones looking very much the same.
There’s a real sense that a lot of thought has gone into the Communicator. For instance, on the side of the device is the Signal Light – a customisable button that can glow different colours depending on what sort of notification is coming in.
This feels like a smart upgrade of the notification, as it can be seen whether the phone is face up or face down and is clearly visible across a room. Users will be able to programme the light to glow differently depending on who the notifications are coming from, so you’ll easily be able to tell whether you need to pick the Communicator straight up or leave it.
The software is just as important
While the hardware is important on a device like this, the software experience is just as key. This Clicks Communicator runs Android 16, but with a specially tweaked version of the Niagara launcher on top. This makes better use of the display size and really ties into the messaging and communication focus of the phone.
With Niagara launcher, there isn’t a traditional app grid, but a swipeable list of characters, which you scroll through to reach the app you want. Apps can be favourited, and these sit at the top, easily accessible.
Cleverly, notifications present themselves on the home screen under the corresponding app, so you don’t have to go to the notification tray. You’ll be able to use keyboard shortcuts to triage and manage notifications too, although I wasn’t able to see this in action.
And, of course, as it runs on Android, you can always change the launcher if you prefer and have access to all the messaging apps on the Play Store.
You can pre-order the device now. It’ll retail for $499 (about £370), but there’s an early bird program running until the end of February that’ll get you it for $399 (about $290). You can either pay a $199 deposit to secure the lower price, or pay for it all now and get a few rear covers thrown in for free.
After my hour or so with the Clicks Communicator, I was sold. This isn’t going to replace my phone, but I can see myself using it when I want a break from the bombardment of an all-singing, all-dancing device.
