Miss BlackBerry? This new Android phone brings a keyboard, headphone jack, more

The Clicks Keyboard was one of the more notable accessories released in recent years, attaching to your smartphone to give you a compact, if awkwardly oriented, physical keypad. Now, the company is back with a smartphone. Say hello to the Clicks Communicator.

The Clicks Communicator is a full-fledged Android smartphone, featuring an integrated physical keypad and a nearly square 4.03-inch OLED screen (1,080 x 1,200 pixels). Clicks explains that the phone can be used as a standalone device, but added that it was also designed for people who use two phones. In fact, the company says it envisions the Communicator as a communication-focused device (surprise) while your other phone is focused on entertainment and content capture.

Shifting back to the keypad, it’s obviously meant to offer a more tactile typing experience. However, it also has a fingerprint scanner in the spacebar, the BlackBerry-style ability to scroll by swiping the keypad itself, and a customizable Clicks key to launch specific apps/features.

The device also has a so-called Prompt Key on the right-hand side, which allows you to start speech input. The firm mentions specific use cases like voice-to-text, voice recording, meeting transcriptions, and launching a voice assistant. This shortcut key has an integrated and customizable notification light, dubbed the Signal LED, which can be used for specific contacts or apps. Check the left-hand side, and you’ll find a hardware kill switch that can be set to quickly toggle airplane mode.

As for software, Clicks teamed up with the people behind Niagara Launcher to deliver a “custom” launcher for the phone. The launcher’s main home screen shows messages from various apps in a manner reminiscent of the BlackBerry Hub on BlackBerry 10 devices. Staying with software, those expecting seven years of updates might be disappointed. The Clicks Communicator ships with Android 16 but will offer two major OS upgrades and five years of security patches. That’s not great compared to most major OEMs, but it’s certainly better than the update policies we’ve seen from other niche phone brands like Unihertz. It’s also better than a couple of big manufacturers, such as Motorola.

The Clicks Communicator is powered by an unnamed 4nm MediaTek “5G IoT SoC platform.” The company didn’t reveal more details about this chipset, but we’re guessing it’s the MT8883 or MT8873. For what it’s worth, MediaTek specifically notes that the former chipset has “long-life availability through 2031.” This level of support could be why Clicks went with an IoT-focused chipset instead of a more conventional smartphone SoC.

Other notable hardware features include a 4,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, 256GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot, a 3.5mm port, Qi2 wireless charging (there’s no word on magnetic support), a solitary 50MP rear camera, and a 24MP selfie shooter. As for connectivity, you can expect a physical SIM slot, eSIM support, 5G, NFC, and Wi-Fi 6.

Interested in the Clicks Communicator? The phone has a launch price of $499, but a promotional price of $399 if you pay a $199 deposit or the full deposit before February 27. The team notes that the device will ship later this year. Either way, this is one of the few viable options if you want a phone with a physical keypad.

This isn’t the only product Clicks announced, as it also revealed the Clicks Power Keyboard (seen above). This is effectively a magnetically attached power bank with an integrated slide-out keypad. The 2,150mAh battery inside the Power Keyboard is very small, but will power the keyboard itself and/or give a small boost to your phone.

Expect MagSafe and Qi2 support, but the keyboard can also connect to other devices via Bluetooth. The team specifically points to wireless pairing with devices like smart TVs, tablets, and XR headsets. The keyboard has a recommended price of $109 and an early bird price of $79, with availability tipped for Spring 2026.

We’ve asked Clicks for more details regarding the Communicator’s chipset and battery durability. We’ll update the article as soon as the company responds to our email.