From time to time, technology allows itself to doubt itself. In 2026 it does so by recovering elements that many considered amortized, such as the physical keyboard or the headphone jack. It is not a gratuitous gesture nor a simple nostalgic provocation. There are those who believe that we have made too many compromises in the name of screen and simplicity.
To understand why this discussion is so striking today, we must go back to 2007, when the original iPhone marked a before and after in the way we understand the smartphone. In that scenario, Steve Jobs was very explicit when marking distances with devices like BlackBerry: “They all have keyboards that are there, regardless of whether you need them or not. And they all have fixed plastic control buttons, the same for any application.” The touch screen was not just a technical novelty, but a way to free up space and adapt the interface to each use.
The screen won. Beyond the design, the triumph of the on-screen keyboard has to do with the daily experience. It does not require you to reserve a fixed space, it adapts to the language, the context and the type of text, and it has proven to be surprisingly effective. Even intensive users have ended up writing quickly on a touch surface, supported by automatic corrections and increasingly refined suggestions.
The keyboard returns to the center of the design. In the case of Clicks Communicatorthe keyboard is not an addition or an accessory, but rather the starting point of the device. The company has opted for an Android phone with an integrated physical keyboard, accompanied by a 4.03-inch AMOLED screen designed to complement, not replace, writing. The terminal executes Android 16 and is supported by a functional technical sheet, with a 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP main camera with optical stabilization, expandable storage via microSD and increasingly less common details such as the 3.5 mm jack.
Clicks Communicator
Beyond the hardware, Clicks tries to differentiate the Communicator by the way it is interacted with on a daily basis. The physical keyboard incorporates touch sensitivity to scroll through messages or pages without lifting your fingers, while a side button allows you to convert speech to text, start recordings or transcribe meetings. Added to this is a visual notification system using a configurable LED and a “message hub” that groups conversations from different applications on the same screen. The company itself frames it with a clear idea: “Designed to do things, not to surf the Internet.”
Clicks Communicator
The reversible option. Before launching its own phone, Clicks became known for its Clicks Keyboard Casea case that adds a physical QWERTY keyboard to the bottom of the phone, BlackBerry style. The idea is simple: keep your usual smartphone and add a keyboard when you need it, without making it a final decision. This case connects via USB-C, or Lightning in older models, and is available for several iPhones, including the iPhone 17 Pro, as well as some Androids such as the Google Pixel and the Motorola Razr.
Clicks Keyboard Case (left), Clicks Power Keyboard (right)
The third piece in the catalog aims at an intermediate point between both proposals. Clicks Power Keyboard It is a magnetic accessory presented at CES 2026 that adheres to the back of the phone and deploys only when you need to write. Unlike the traditional case, it does not replace the case nor is it permanently fixed. In addition, it works as a 2,150 mAh external battery and is compatible with MagSafe and Qi2, which extends its reach to a wide variety of iPhones and Android phones.
Pros and cons. In the end, Clicks’ approach puts a very clear exchange on the table. Bringing back the physical keyboard means accepting smaller screens. Magnetic cases and keyboards allow you to explore that idea without definitive commitments, while the Communicator requires a more conscious commitment to another way of using your mobile.
Price and availability. The Clicks Communicator can now be reserved with a promotional price of $399, compared to the usual $499, as long as the reservation is formalized before February 27. The company plans to begin shipments later this year, without a specific date for now. Spain is among the countries included in the European deployment, although the definitive deadlines will be specified when production enters its final phase.
Images | Clicks
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