The Clicks Communicator is the phone I look forward to most in 2026. It’ll be out before the end of the year, but the company just showed off a working version of the $500 smartphone with a physical keyboard for the first time.
The brand-new Android phone, announced in January, has a physical keyboard that gives off Blackberry and Palm Treo vibes. The Communicato is made by Clicks, the company behind phone keyboard cases, and is positioned as the remedy for the constant attention our smartphones seem to demand.
Every aspect of the phone has been considered to prioritize the messaging and typing experience above all else. It brings a number of old-school Android features back with a 2026 take on a notification light, a physical keyboard and a swappable back plate (that just so happens to support Qi2 wireless charging and magnetic accessories).
This phone isn’t for everyone, but for those of us excited for a well-made, thoughtfully designed handset that costs $500, the Communicator can’t come out quick enough — especially compared to another “new” $500 Android phone that comes only in gold.
At a time when a number of devices are being released that mimic old BlackBerry phones, like the Unihertz Titan 2 Elite, or are retrofitted BlackBerry Classics, the Clicks is a new handset, actually designed by a former Research in Motion designer who worked on BlackBerry phones. It brings the best of Blackberry and early smartphones, blending with contemporary features like Android 16 and wireless charging.
Luckily, the new video Clicks posted (see above) shows a working preproduction prototype with an early version of the software, giving us a taste to satisfy our appetite. The video opens with a shot of the Clicks Communicator screen, and a close-up of a person using their thumbs to type “hello, world.” Double-thumb typing on a phone? What year is it? I am so ready for this. The video shows texting and messaging in WhatsApp, navigating apps and opening Spotify.
In the nearly six-and-a-half-minute video, Clicks co-founder and chief marketing officer, Jeff Gadway shows off the phone’s software, home screen and several of its features. The Niagara launcher’s app ribbon looks incredible. Gadway even takes a call on speakerphone, showing off the speakers.
Until now, we have had a look at a nonworking hardware prototype of the Communicator and saw its software running on the cover screen of a Motorola Razr housed inside a Clicks Keyboard case.
I took this photo in March. On the left is a dummy prototype of the Clicks Communicator, and next to it is a Motorola Razr (closed) inside a Clicks Keyboard case. Notice the Razr has the Niagara launcher on its cover screen.
Gadway promises more videos deep-diving into other features, like the phone’s signal light/prompt key, “in the weeks to come.” You can reserve the Communicator on Clicks’ website for $199. The phone is expected to ship in Q4 of 2026.
Watch this: The Clicks Communicator Phone Is My Favorite Thing at CES
