BlackBerry is back – sort of – thanks to the latest product from the mobile keyboard maker, Click Technologywhich last week announced the debut phoneThe $499 Communicator, which sports a physical keyboard. The company also offers a separate $79 slide-out physical keyboard that fits any device.
At CES, TechCrunch spoke with Clicks’ chief marketing officer and co-founder, Jeff Gadway, and performed the latest hand-crafted prototype of the upcoming smartphone.
The device, which offers a BlackBerry-like keyboard and a messaging-focused touchscreen, runs Android 16 under the hood. That means Communicator can run any Android app, but partners with the minimalist launcher, Niagara Launcher, to display your favorite apps on your home screen. Other applications are easily accessible through a scrollable list.
Reception for the new device has been better than expected, Gadway told TechCrunch. Although he declined to share sales numbers, he did say that over the past week, the company has made a sale every 6.5 seconds between devices.
While the prototype we tried wasn’t a working phone, it’s the same size and weight as the device we’re preparing to ship later this year, giving us an early taste of what Communicator will be like.
The interchangeable back cover pops out so you can change your phone’s design when inspiration strikes. While not on the prototype, the cover will have a small notch at the top and then a small finger pick at the bottom.
On the back is your nano-SIM card. Onboard storage lands at 256 gigabytes, with microSD storage that can be expanded up to 2 terabytes of data. The device will also have a 4000mAh silicon-carbon battery and currently weighs around 170 grams (or 6 oz).
In our hands-on tests, the phone felt good to hold. The device is not too heavy but not light, and it is easy to hold.
The final shape was finalized after dozens of 3D-printed shapes, Gadway notes. The winning design for the phone includes a contoured back that makes it easy to pick up and hold.
The screen of the device is also slightly raised from the body, and the chin of the device is curved upwards, which creates a recessed area to protect the buttons when you put it face down. (You’ll want to put your phone down if you’re trying to avoid distractions!)
That’s where the light side button of the device can help. Called “Signal Light,” the button can be configured to flash a different color or pattern when you receive a message from a specific person, group, or app. That way, you can be sure to respond if your boss or kids contact you, but you can ignore it if there is less important news.
Tactile, physical buttons feel good, although the prototype version may actually be a little less “clicky” than the final product. (There is a debate between whether the button should be 110 grams of pressure or more like 120 or 130 grams, and the advice so far that the last figure wins.)
With less pressure, the buttons feel soft, which can be easier to access for those who have not used BlackBerry before. But fast typists tend to prefer click buttons because there is more feedback.
“This is something that Michael Fisher and I and Kevin Michaluk are constantly talking about,” Gadway said, referring to the founders. “We fight about grams.”
The keys and the screen are also at the same vertical height, so you can seamlessly move from the keyboard to the touch screen.
The phone’s front hole-punch camera can take 24-megapixel images. The rear camera, which features optical image stabilization and electronic image stabilization for video, can take 50-megapixel images.
The phone will also have a 4-nanometer MediaTek, 5G IoT processor, with 8 gigabytes of RAM.
The Communicator’s display will be a 4.03-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1,080 x 1,200. Wired charging is up to 18 watts, and wireless charging is up to 15 watts. The device is also Qi-compatible and Android Strongbox-ready, which will appeal to security-conscious customers.
The phone also has other standard features, such as GPS, NFC, and will offer five years of security updates and Android updates through Android 20.
The device is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2026.