LAS VEGAS — Jan. 7, 2026 — If your smartphone feels less like a tool and more like an attention trap, Clicks wants to sell you an alternative: a compact, physical‑keyboard Android phone designed for communication, triage, and quick action—not endless feeds.
Unveiled around CES 2026 in Las Vegas, the new Clicks Communicator is positioned as a “second phone” you carry alongside your iPhone, Galaxy, or Pixel, with a sharper focus on messaging and email. But Clicks says it can also work as a standalone daily driver—especially for people who miss the speed of real keys and want fewer reasons to doomscroll. GlobeNewswire
What makes today’s story more than nostalgia: the Communicator isn’t launching alone. Clicks is also pushing the physical‑keyboard idea into a universal accessory with its Clicks Power Keyboard, a Bluetooth slide‑out keyboard with built‑in wireless power—meant to work across multiple devices. TechRadar
The big CES 2026 angle: a “second phone” built for signal, not noise
Clicks is leaning into a trend it says is already happening: as phones get larger and more content-driven, some people carry an additional device for work, travel, privacy—or simply to create boundaries. The company’s pitch is that Communicator complements modern flagships instead of competing with them, prioritizing responsiveness while leaving entertainment and content creation to your primary phone. GlobeNewswire
That “two-phone lifestyle” framing is showing up in CES coverage today as well, with roundups listing the Communicator alongside foldables and other headline devices—but calling out its unusual “messaging-first” approach. NDTV Profit
What is the Clicks Communicator?
At its core, the Communicator is a modern Android phone shaped like a throwback: a nearly square display up top and a full QWERTY keyboard below—closer in spirit to classic BlackBerry hardware than today’s tall slabs.
Clicks says the key differentiator isn’t just the keyboard—it’s the combination of:
- A Signal light for glanceable, customizable notification priority
- A Message Hub that surfaces conversations without constant app-hopping
- Physical controls (including a “kill switch,” headphone jack, and expandable storage)
All of it is meant to reduce friction for replying and taking action—while reducing the temptation to scroll. GlobeNewswire
Early reactions from Android-focused writers describe the device as deliberately “out of time” in the best way—swappable backplates, a notification light, and other “classic” features that mainstream phones quietly abandoned. 9to5Google
Software: Niagara Launcher + a message-first home screen
Clicks partnered with Niagara Launcher (a popular minimalist Android launcher) to build the Communicator’s streamlined experience. The idea: instead of a grid of app icons nudging you toward “just one more scroll,” the home screen becomes a list-driven, notification-centric interface that keeps incoming messages and quick tasks front and center. GlobeNewswire
Clicks says messages from apps including Gmail, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Slack can be curated directly on the home screen for faster triage and replies. GlobeNewswire
Signal light and Prompt Key: designed to be glanceable and programmable
One of the Communicator’s most “old Android” (in a good way) details is the Signal light—a customizable indicator designed to highlight priority communications without demanding constant screen checks. Clicks says it can be configured by color and pattern for specific people, groups, or apps. GlobeNewswire
The company also integrates the Signal into a side-mounted Prompt Key, describing it as a platform for future collaboration with AI-powered apps like note takers and voice tools. GlobeNewswire
Clicks Communicator specs: what we know so far
Clicks calls the Communicator “purpose-built,” but it’s not underpowered on paper. According to the company’s announcement, you can expect:
- Android 16, plus 5 years of security updates GlobeNewswire
- Global 5G (unlocked), plus 4G LTE and legacy network support GlobeNewswire
- 4,000 mAh silicon‑carbon battery GlobeNewswire
- 256GB storage + microSD expansion up to 2TB GlobeNewswire
- 50MP main camera with OIS + 24MP front camera GlobeNewswire
- NFC with Google Pay, Bluetooth 5.4, Wi‑Fi 6 GlobeNewswire
- USB‑C and wireless charging GlobeNewswire
- A 3.5mm headphone jack and a configurable tactile kill switch GlobeNewswire
- Physical SIM + eSIM GlobeNewswire
On dimensions, Clicks says the Communicator measures 131.5 mm tall and weighs 170 grams, leaning hard into the “pocketable” idea. GlobeNewswire
A few outlets also report that the keyboard includes modern conveniences like a fingerprint sensor and touch navigation (turning the keyboard into a trackpad-style input surface), echoing later-era BlackBerry ideas—but now paired with a modern Android stack. Android Central
Price and release date: $499 retail, with a $399 early-bird window
Clicks lists the Communicator at $499 (USD) as the launch price, with a preorder-style reservation system that can reduce that cost if you commit early:
- A $199 reservation deposit locks in an early-bird price of $399
- Or you can pay $399 in full, which Clicks says includes two additional back covers
- The early-bird cutoff date is February 27, 2026
- The company says shipping is expected later in 2026 GlobeNewswire
Why Clicks is making its own phone now
Clicks isn’t a legacy phone brand. It built its name by selling physical‑keyboard cases for modern phones—then decided that a case is always a compromise: tied to specific models, and always fighting the reality that most apps were designed for touch.
In its CES announcement, Clicks says it has shipped over 100,000 keyboard products to customers in 100+ countries, and frames the Communicator as the “natural evolution” of that demand. GlobeNewswire
In other words: instead of trying to bolt a keyboard onto a feed-first smartphone, Clicks is trying to build a device where the hardware and UI start from the assumption that your priority is replying—fast.
The other CES headline from Clicks: Power Keyboard turns any phone into a “keyboard phone”
Not everyone wants to carry a second phone (or gamble on a first-gen niche device). Clicks’ other big CES 2026 product is designed for that crowd.
The Clicks Power Keyboard is a pocketable accessory that combines:
- A slide-out QWERTY keyboard
- A built‑in 2,150 mAh battery
- 5W Qi wireless charging for phones
- Bluetooth (BLE 5.4) connectivity
- Support for up to 3 paired devices (so you can switch between, say, phone + tablet + TV) Clicks
Clicks lists a $79 limited-time preorder price (rising to $109), with shipping expected in spring 2026. Clicks
The “why” is simple: cases are fragile as a business model because every new phone shape breaks compatibility. A MagSafe/Qi2-friendly keyboard + Bluetooth is a more universal bet—and multiple reviewers have pointed out that flexibility as the real clever part of the accessory. The Verge
Who the Clicks Communicator is for—and who should probably skip it
You’ll want to watch this device if you:
- Miss the speed and accuracy of a physical keyboard
- Want a work‑focused or “evening‑focused” device that doesn’t pull you into content apps
- Already live the two‑phone life (or want to create intentional boundaries)
- Prefer small phones and don’t need a giant screen for media GlobeNewswire
You should likely skip (or wait for full reviews) if you:
- Buy phones mainly for cameras, gaming, or big‑screen video
- Don’t want the friction of managing a second SIM/number
- Need certainty around long-term support, carrier quirks, or repairability (all the normal “new device” unknowns)
What’s next as CES 2026 continues
As of Jan. 7, the Clicks Communicator is already being framed in CES coverage as one of the show’s most interesting “anti-doomscroll” devices—a counter-programming move in a year where many announcements are still about bigger screens, thinner foldables, and more AI. Tech Times
The remaining question is the one that always decides whether a niche phone becomes a cult classic or a curiosity: how it feels in daily use—especially the keyboard action, the effectiveness of its message-first UI, and whether it truly reduces distraction without becoming frustrating.
For now, the Communicator is one of the clearest signals from CES 2026 that the industry is experimenting again with something mainstream phones largely abandoned: purpose-built hardware.
