Clicks Daps the Case for MagSafe: A $139 Bet Against Planned Obsolescence
Yesterday at CES 2026, Clicks Technology effectively set fire to its old business model. The company that became famous for turning iPhones into oversized BlackBerrys has realized that chasing every new smartphone chassis is a fool’s errand. Their solution? The Clicks Power Keyboard—a $139 standalone, MagSafe-compatible peripheral that ditches the "case" entirely in favor of a modular, Qi2-connected slab.
By moving to MagSafe, Clicks is attempting to escape the trap of planned obsolescence. Instead of buying a new $150 case every time Apple shifts a camera button by two millimeters, users can now slap this QWERTY attachment onto anything with a magnet. It’s a strategic pivot toward longevity, opening the door for Android users on the Pixel 8 or the upcoming Galaxy S25+ to finally join the tactile typing cult.
The Ergonomic Elephant in the Room
The "Power" branding is also doing some heavy lifting here. Clicks has packed a 2,000mAh battery into the frame, which they’re calling a "power bank." In the context of 2026, where flagship silicon and generative AI tasks drain batteries faster than ever, 2,000mAh is less of a "bank" and more of a "stimulus check." It won't even provide a 40% charge for most modern flagships. It’s a bridge to get you through an evening deadline, not a replacement for a dedicated MagSafe puck. The Qi2 standard allows for 15W wireless charging and pass-through support, but compared to the 60W wired standards currently dominating the market, this is strictly for the "slow and steady" crowd.
The Communicator: A $499 Minimalist Gamble
The most polarizing part of the announcement wasn't the keyboard itself, but the "Clicks Communicator" bundle. For $499, Clicks is offering a minimalist Android handset paired with the keyboard. Contrary to early rumors of a flagship-killer spec sheet, this is a specialized tool powered by a MediaTek 4nm SoC.
While Clicks initially leaned into a "no-camera" privacy angle, the production unit actually features a 24MP front-facing sensor for the video-call-heavy professional. It’s a device built for the "distraction-free" era—aimed at writers and developers who want a dedicated terminal for Slack, Discord, and terminal work without the notification bloat of a primary device. Whether there is a large enough market of people willing to drop half a grand on a secondary "typing phone" remains to be seen.
The Keyboard Renaissance or a Niche Cul-de-Sac?
Fisher, the face of the "keyboard renaissance," pitched the device as the ultimate tool for creators who miss the tactile click of physical keys but can’t sacrifice screen real estate to a virtual keyboard. It’s a compelling pitch, and the community is biting; pre-orders topped 5,000 units in the first 24 hours, mostly in North America.
"The Power Keyboard is for the person who treats their phone like a workstation, not a toy," Fisher noted during the unveiling.
However, the skepticism remains centered on utility versus bulk. The 36-key layout is rated for 100,000 presses and features IP54 resistance, making it rugged enough for the "digital nomad" lifestyle. But as Clicks prepares for a European rollout in Q2 2026 with localized AZERTY and QWERTZ layouts, they are fighting an uphill battle against a mobile industry that has spent twenty years training our thumbs to love glass.
Clicks is no longer just selling a case; they are selling a modular ecosystem. If they can convince users that a top-heavy, $139 magnetic keyboard is better than a software update, they might just survive the transition from a viral novelty to a legitimate hardware staple. For now, it’s a high-stakes bet on the idea that we’re all tired of typing on screens.