Clicks Communicator Keyboard Phone Ships in December

Nearly a year after it debuted at CES 2026, the Clicks Communicator has a ship date. Clicks Technology said Friday that the Clicks Communicator, its first smartphone, a compact Android device with a full physical keyboard, will begin shipping to customers in December.

The Clicks Communicator is Clicks Technology's first phone. The company, better known for its keyboard cases for iPhones, revealed the device at CES 2026 in January, and strong preorder demand let the team afford hardware upgrades that were not in the original plan. The announcement locked in better hardware than what Clicks originally promised: RAM is up from 8GB to 12GB, and the battery has grown from 4,000mAh to 4,350mAh, rated to survive more than 800 charge cycles. Clicks dropped a planned silicon-carbon battery after testing turned up too many failures, opting for a standard lithium-ion cell instead, a decision the company said trades some energy density for reliability.

The keyboard is the whole point

Clicks made its name selling physical keyboard cases for iPhones, and the Clicks Communicator builds the keyboard straight into the phone. Below a 4.03-inch 120Hz AMOLED display sits a full set of keys with backlit lettering. The keyboard surface is touch-sensitive, so swiping across the keys scrolls pages and moves the cursor, and the spacebar doubles as a fingerprint sensor.

Layouts cover English QWERTY plus French AZERTY, German QWERTZ, Korean, and Arabic. A dedicated Prompt Key triggers speech-to-text or calls up Gemini, and a small Signal Light gives customizable notifications tied to priority contacts and chats.

The rest of the spec sheet reads like a throwback wishlist. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD slot supporting cards up to 2TB, NFC with Google Pay, and a physical kill switch. Power comes from a MediaTek Dimensity 8300 chip paired with 256GB of storage, a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilization, and a 24MP front camera. Charging runs over USB-C or 15W wireless.

"With upgraded capabilities, new accessories from dbrand, Clicks Care replacement coverage and wireless plans, Clicks Communicator is even more equipped to help users communicate with confidence on the go," said Jeff Gadway, Clicks CMO and co-founder, in a statement.

Priced to beat the RAM squeeze

Software support looks respectable: Android 17 out of the box, updates through Android 20, and five years of security patches, according to the company.

The pricing is where the story gets interesting. According to Engadget, the Clicks Communicator is available in Smoke, Clover, and Onyx at a launch price of $499 through September 30, after which the sticker moves to $649. Order configuration opened September 18 for reservation holders. Clicks Care, an extended coverage plan priced at $129 for two years in the US and Canada, and Clicks Mobile voice and data plans round out the offering, along with accessories from dbrand including a minimalist case and a glass screen protector.

The timing is notable because RAM is getting expensive. CNET reports that Google, Motorola, Samsung, and Apple have all raised phone prices this year, citing higher memory costs driven by demand from AI data centers. Clicks is going the other way, adding 50 percent more RAM without touching the $499 preorder price.

The accessory lineup leans into that identity. Clicks partnered with dbrand on an MNML minimalist case and a Prism glass screen protector, plus a Communicator Ring bumper case and Charging Covers, all aimed at a phone meant to be handled more than stared at. For buyers who still get nervous about a first-generation device, the Clicks Care plan covers replacements in the US and Canada. Clicks is pitching the Clicks Communicator as a second device for messages and calls rather than a flagship replacement, and at $499 it lands as a deliberate pick for people who want to type fast and stay in touch without the endless-scroll smartphone.

The Clicks Communicator enters a crowded fall phone season. Clicks confirmed the final specifications in its September 18 release, and the phone will compete for attention with Apple's foldable iPhone Duo and Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra. Readers hunting for a new device can browse our latest gadgets coverage for the full rundown of this season's launches, including the best smartphones of 2026.