$499 BlackBerry-style phone to debut this week

By Phong Ngo January 4, 2026 | 09:10 pm PT

A BlackBerry-inspired handset priced from US$499 is set to make its debut this week, positioning itself as a companion device rather than a replacement for modern smartphones.

The Clicks Communicator, developed by U.K.-based Clicks Technology, will be unveiled at the Consumer Technology Association’s CES 2026 event in Las Vegas, running from Jan. 6 to 9.

Clicks said the Communicator is not intended to compete directly with Apple’s iPhone or Samsung’s Galaxy lineup, but to work alongside a phone users already own. With the tagline "doing, not doomscrolling," Clicks said it envisions the Communicator as a return to basics, prioritizing communication and work over the distractions of large-screen, social media-focused smartphones, CNET reported.

Jeff Gadway, the company’s chief marketing officer, compared the Communicator’s role to that of a Kindle relative to an iPad. "It's a complementary product that stands on its own, optimized for a specific purpose," Gadway said in an announcing statement on Jan. 2.

The BlackBerry-style keyboard phone Clicks Communicator. Photo courtesy of Clicks Technology

A defining feature of the Communicator is its full QWERTY keyboard, with a design reminiscent of the BlackBerry Q5 released more than a decade ago. The keyboard is touch-sensitive, allowing users to scroll through messages without touching the screen, and the device supports voice recordings.

Other features include a 3.5 mm headphone jack, an airplane mode switch, expandable storage via microSD, a physical SIM tray, and eSIM support. The phone is equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera and a 24-megapixel front camera. Running Android 16, the Communicator measures 131.5 mm in height and weighs 170 grams.

According to The Verge, limiting the device to essential apps allows the Communicator to integrate more easily into the Android ecosystem, where syncing tools are more flexible than those available on iOS.

To further reduce distractions, the device features a 4.03-inch OLED display and a minimalist launcher, along with a color-coded LED notification light similar to those found on BlackBerry phones. It will be available in three colors: clover green, smoke off-white, and onyx.

Clicks plans to sell the Communicator for US$499, matching the Pixel 9a and pricing it US$100 lower than the iPhone 16e.