Clicks Communicator: QWERTZ keyboard for the smartphone with hardware keyboard
The Clicks smartphone with a physical keyboard, announced at CES, can now also be purchased with a QWERTZ keyboard.
The Clicks Communicator comes with various keyboard layouts – including QWERTZ.
(Image: Clicks Tech)
US startup Clicks Technology is reviving the classic BlackBerry feeling with its “Communicator.” Ahead of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), taking place from March 2nd to 5th in Barcelona, the company is announcing localized keyboard layouts for Germany (QWERTZ), France (AZERTY), as well as Korean and Arabic. Originally, the Communicator was only supposed to be released as a QWERTY model, only if there was sufficient interest. This is apparently the case. Clicks also reveal which processor is installed and extends the previously quite short update promise.
QWERTZ is coming
At the beginning of the year, Clicks presented its Communicator under the motto, “Designed for doing, not doomscrolling.” According to Clicks, the device is designed as a supplement to the “main smartphone,” for example, for writing messages or recording voice memos. In principle, the Communicator, which is based on Android 16, can also be used as a primary device.
“The pre-orders for the Communicator continue to exceed our most optimistic forecasts,” says Adrian Li Mow Ching, CEO of Clicks. “The response from customers around the world is a clear sign that the Communicator is filling a gap for a phone specifically designed for communication and taking action,” he adds. By supporting additional keyboard layouts, Clicks can make the Communicator accessible to a larger and more diverse audience, he added.
Similar to a classic BlackBerry, the Clicks Communicator consists of an almost square OLED screen with a diagonal of 4.03 inches and a resolution of 1080 Ă— 1200 pixels. It also features an underlying hardware keyboard, which certainly evokes a certain BlackBerry feeling, but the device looks a bit more modern.
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The hardware keyboard also features like a programmable shortcut button and a touch-sensitive surface. With this, users can scroll through text by moving their finger over the keyboard. Clicks has also integrated the fingerprint sensor into the space bar.
On the right side of the casing, the Communicator also has a programmable button with an LED ring. This lights up in a color of your choice when a notification from a specific app or contact is received. According to the manufacturer, the side button is used for recording voice messages, dictating texts, or recording and transcribing meetings. This is somewhat reminiscent of Nothing's Essential button, but probably with less AI. The user interface adapted for the device is based on Android 16. It features a so-called “Message Hub,” where the Communicator collects messages from various apps on the home screen.
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4 years of Android updates
Instead of the previously communicated short update period of two years, the manufacturer now promises Android updates up to Android 20 – that is, four years. The Communicator will receive security patches for five years.
(Image:Â Clicks Tech)
The longer update period is made possible, among other things, by the use of the MediaTek Dimensity 8300 (MT8883), which is manufactured using a 4 nm process. The chip is not brand new; it was already introduced in 2024 and is used in a variation in the Xiaomi 14T, for example.
The Communicator also features a 50 MP camera on the back and a 24 MP selfie camera. Now a rarity: it also has a 3.5 mm jack, and the 256 GB of storage can be expanded with a microSD card. A 4000 mAh silicon-carbon battery is installed as the power source, which can be recharged either wired or wirelessly. According to the manufacturer, unlike the Galaxy S26, the device supports Qi2 with magnetic locking.
The Clicks Communicator will be available in Smoke, Clover, and Onyx colors for $499. Those who reserve the device before March 15, 2026, will receive it at the early bird price of $399. In addition to the purchase price, import sales tax, customs duties, and $30 shipping will apply. Delivery is expected to take place later in the year.
(afl)
