Clicks Technology has unveiled its Communicator smartphone, reviving the physical keyboard design that many users associate with classic BlackBerry devices. Priced at $499 (roughly ₹41,000) with an early-bird rate of $399 (around ₹33,000), the Clicks Communicator targets professionals and people who juggle two phones for work and personal use.
Clicks Communicator key features
The Communicator places productivity at its core. Rather than shipping with social media or gaming apps, the phone is tailored for messaging and office workflows, preloaded with apps such as Gmail, Telegram, WhatsApp and Slack. A physical keyboard remains the centrepiece, offering faster and more accurate typing while preserving more screen space than a virtual keyboard.
Design and usability choices reflect a deliberate return to some older but useful technologies. The phone includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, a physical SIM tray, microSD support up to 2TB, and a physical flight-mode switch. Users can also replace the rear panel, allowing customisation that some buyers will welcome.
One standout is the so-called signal light, a programmable lighting ring around a side-mounted button labelled the prompt key. Users can customise the light to signal incoming messages or alerts. The prompt key also supports quick actions: press to send a voice message or create a note, simplifying common productivity tasks without navigating menus.
Under the hood, Clicks offers mainstream hardware: a 50-megapixel main camera, 256GB of internal storage and a 4,000mAh battery. The device runs Android 16 and the company commits to five years of security updates, a meaningful promise for business users who value long-term device support.
Clicks has positioned the Communicator as a secondary or specialist device rather than a mainstream, app-driven smartphone. By excluding addictive social apps from default installations, the company aims to appeal to users who want fewer distractions and more focus on messaging, email and document work.
Market fit and availability
The pricing strategy includes a limited early purchase window at $399, after which the price rises to $499. That introductory offer will be attractive to early adopters and professionals looking for an affordable alternative to carrying two devices. Clicks has opened reservations via its online channels and has begun promoting the product on social platforms.
While the Clicks Communicator borrows heavily from a heritage design, it mixes legacy conveniences with modern software and hardware support. The combination of a physical keyboard, long-term security updates and productivity-first software could find a niche among professionals, privacy-minded users and anyone who misses the tactile typing experience.
For buyers, the key considerations will be software ecosystem integration and long-term update delivery. Clicks’ commitment to five years of security updates and Android 16 out of the box are positive signals, but adoption will depend on how well the Communicator integrates with existing enterprise systems and how competitively it performs against conventional smartphones.
Overall, the Clicks Communicator revives an iconic form factor with sensible modern updates, offering a practical alternative for users prioritising typing efficiency and focused communication over mainstream entertainment features.
Key Takeaways:
- Clicks launches the Clicks Communicator in India, a BlackBerry-style smartphone aimed at professionals and dual-phone users.
- The Clicks Communicator emphasises productivity with a physical keyboard, non-addictive app selection and a customisable signal light.
- Key specs include Android 16, 50MP main camera, 4,000mAh battery, microSD support up to 2TB and five years of security updates.
- Introductory price is $399 (around ₹33,000); regular retail price is $499 (around ₹41,000).
