This is when Clicks' BlackBerry-style phone is expected to ship
If you've already pre-paid for the Clicks Communicator, this is when you should expect it to arrive.
Clicks reveals when it will ship its first phone. | Image by Clicks
Back in January we told you about the Clicks Communicator, an Android phone with a physical keyboard that is designed to be a backup phone. In other words, this device is not built to replace your current flagship handset.
Clicks jumps from smartphone cases directly to smartphones
This is made clear when you peruse the Communicator's specs and see that the phone carries a 4.03-inch AMOLED display and is powered by the 4nm MediaTek 5G IoT application processor (AP). Such chips extend battery life and last for a long time because they are extremely power-efficient and durable.
Clicks was founded by YouTube phone reviewer Michael Fisher (aka Mr. Mobile) and CrackBerry founder Kevin Michaluk and its first product was a physical keyboard case for the iPhone and cases for certain Android models were added later. The new Clicks Communicator would seem to make sense as the best way to expand the company's product line.
With a physical QWERTY under the display, the Clicks Communicator is naturally going to bring back memories of BlackBerry phones. The latter had the top-selling smartphone in the U.S. on the morning of January 9th, 2007, famously known as the day that the late Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone.
The Clicks Communicator is expected to ship during the fourth quarter of 2026
Clicks recently sent out an email that lists important dates for the Communicator that are coming up, and it also reveals when Clicks will start shipping its new handset. May flowers start popping up in three days and during the month, Clicks will share information about the phone's interface, software, and the decisions that were made while the device was being developed. Working units will be shown in June.
During the third quarter, Clicks will be focusing on the phone's certifications and testing. Those who have placed an order for the phone will have the opportunity to configure their Communicator including the color and keyboard layout they want.
The cost of the device is $499
Those who have ordered the phone will also be invited to pick out bonus covers during Q3, and they will be able to choose from limited edition colors. During the fourth quarter, Clicks will start the production and the shipping of the phone.
The Clicks Communicator will ship in the fourth quarter of this year. | Image by Clicks
So if Clicks sticks with this schedule, your $499 Communicator, powered by Android 16 and running the Niagara Launcher, could be in your hands before the end of the year. It is equipped with a 50MP rear camera with optical image stabilization and a front-facing 24MP selfie-snapper.
There is 256GB of expandable storage that can be pushed up to 2TB by using the microSD slot. A 4,000 mAh silicon-carbon battery keeps the lights on.
The Unihertz Titan 2 Elite is similar to the Communicator with a similarly-sized screen
Demand for phones with physical keyboards remains a small part of the global smartphone industry. Still, the Clicks Communicator has a rival in the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite, which has a similarly sized display and raised a whopping $3 million on Kickstarter after hitting its funding goal of $100,091 in only 11 minutes.
Fans of the physical keyboard are always hoping that BlackBerry jumps back into smartphone manufacturing or finds another company to license the BlackBerry name. Until that happens, phones like the Clicks Communicator and Unihertz Titan 2 Elite are ready to handle the demand.
Personally, after using the Clicks keyboard case on my iPhone 15 Pro Max for several months, I came to the conclusion that using a physical QWERTY keyboard on a modern smartphone is just not as intuitive or as easy as one might hope.
Yet, there is almost a romantic nostalgia surrounding the use of a physical QWERTY on a current day smartphone. But if you're looking to get things done, the virtual keyboard really is the way to go.
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