In the quiet space between announcement and arrival, Clicks has refined its Communicator — a BlackBerry-spirited Android phone — into something more capable than what was first promised, without asking early believers to pay more for the improvement. The upgrades to RAM and battery, the pivot away from a newer but unreliable battery chemistry, and the layering of accessories and protection services all speak to a company learning in public, translating ambition into a shippable object. December 2026 marks not just a ship date, but a reckoning with whether the hunger for physical keyboards on m
Clicks Communicator gets RAM boost and larger battery ahead of December launch
Clicks chose reliability over the promise of newer technology.
Mark
So Clicks is actually shipping this thing in December? That's a real product, not vaporware?
Mimi
Yes. The company has been sharing development updates since January, and now they're locking in specs and launch details. December is the target.
Luke
But we should note—that's still three months away. Things can slip. We're taking Clicks at their word on the date.
Mark
Fair. So what changed from the original plan?
Mimi
The RAM went from 8GB to 12GB, and the battery grew from 4,000 to 4,350 milliamp-hours. Both meaningful upgrades, and they're keeping the $499 pre-order price.
Luke
The battery story is interesting though. They were going to use silicon-carbon cells but switched to lithium-ion because the silicon-carbon ones failed too much in testing. That's a real engineering decision, not just a spec bump.
Mark
Why does that matter?
Mimi
It means Clicks chose reliability over the promise of newer technology. Silicon-carbon batteries can charge faster and last longer in theory, but if they're failing in the field, you've got a problem.
Luke
We only have Clicks's word on the failure rates, though. We don't have independent test data.
Mark
What about the accessories and services?
Mimi
Dbrand is making a case and screen protector. There's also Clicks Care, a two-year warranty for $129.99 that covers drops, liquid damage, cracks—and if something breaks, they send you a replacement phone instead of making you wait for a repair.
Mark
That's actually smart. You're not without a phone.
Luke
It's a good service model, but the $49 deductible means it's not free replacement. And we don't know how fast the replacement actually arrives, or what the claims process looks like.
Mimi
True. And there's Clicks Mobile for US and UK customers—eSIM-based plans with two months free for new signups. But Clicks hasn't announced the actual plan prices yet.
Mark
So you're buying into the ecosystem a bit.
Mimi
Yes. The phone has both eSIM and a nano SIM slot, so you have options. But if you want Clicks's own service, you're locked into their pricing once they announce it.
Luke
Which we don't know yet. That's a gap in the story.
Mark
What's the price situation?
Mimi
$499 if you order before October 1. Then it jumps to $649 after that.
Luke
That's a $150 jump, which is significant. It's worth noting that the $499 price is only available for the next couple of weeks from the publication date.
Mark
So people need to move fast if they want the early price.
Mimi
Exactly. And if you made a reservation back in January, Clicks has published a guide for converting that into an actual order.
Il Polso
- A battery chemistry gamble quietly failed during testing — silicon-carbon cells proved too unreliable, forcing Clicks to abandon the newer technology in favor of proven lithium-ion before a single unit shipped.
- Despite absorbing the cost of meaningful hardware upgrades — 50% more RAM and a larger battery — Clicks is holding the $499 pre-order price steady, creating urgency as that window closes September 30 before a $150 price jump.
- Clicks is building an ecosystem around the Communicator, partnering with Dbrand for cases and screen protectors and launching its own Clicks Care warranty and Clicks Mobile carrier service to reduce buyer risk.
- The December 2026 launch is now locked in, with eSIM flexibility, two free months of US and UK mobile service, and a clear path for reservation holders to convert interest into a committed order.
In the quiet space between announcement and arrival, Clicks has refined its Communicator — a BlackBerry-spirited Android phone — into something more capable than what was first promised, without asking early believers to pay more for the improvement. The upgrades to RAM and battery, the pivot away from a newer but unreliable battery chemistry, and the layering of accessories and protection services all speak to a company learning in public, translating ambition into a shippable object. December 2026 marks not just a ship date, but a reckoning with whether the hunger for physical keyboards on modern smartphones can sustain an entire device ecosystem.
Clicks, the company that built its reputation adding physical keyboards to existing smartphones, is weeks away from shipping its first standalone device — and the Communicator has quietly become a better phone than the one announced nine months ago. The BlackBerry-inspired Android handset will arrive in December with 12GB of RAM instead of the originally planned 8GB, and a 4,350mAh battery in place of the original 4,000mAh. Clicks is holding the pre-order price at $499 through September 30, after which it rises to $649.
The battery change carries a more complicated story. Clicks had initially committed to silicon-carbon cells, a newer chemistry promising longer life and faster charging. Testing revealed an unacceptable failure rate, and rather than ship a phone prone to early battery death, the company switched to traditional lithium-ion — rated for more than 800 full charge cycles before noticeable capacity loss.
To round out the launch, Clicks has partnered with Dbrand on a $39 MNML case and a $34.95 dual-piece screen protector with a self-aligning tray. Twelve charging cover options, including two leather variants, let buyers personalize before ordering. The Communicator itself comes in Smoke, Onyx, and Clover finishes.
Two new services accompany the hardware. Clicks Care offers two years of protection — covering drops, liquid damage, cracked screens, and more — for $129.99, with a $49 deductible and a replacement phone shipped directly to you. Clicks Mobile, available via eSIM for US and UK customers, adds voice and data plans to the device, with two months of service free for new subscribers. A traditional nano SIM slot ensures carrier flexibility regardless.
Clicks, the company known for adding physical keyboards to iPhones and Android phones, is preparing to ship its first standalone smartphone in December, and the device has gotten meaningfully better since the company announced it nine months ago. The Communicator—a BlackBerry-inspired Android phone that captured attention when it debuted in January—will arrive with 12 gigabytes of RAM instead of the originally planned 8, and a battery that holds 4,350 milliamp-hours rather than 4,000. The company is holding the price steady at $499 for early buyers, a decision that matters because these upgrades would normally justify a higher cost.
The shift in battery chemistry tells a quieter story about the phone's development. Clicks had initially committed to silicon-carbon batteries, a newer technology that promises longer lifespan and faster charging. But during testing, the company found that silicon-carbon cells failed at an unacceptable rate compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. Rather than ship a phone with a battery that might fail prematurely, Clicks switched to the proven lithium-ion approach. The new battery is rated for more than 800 charge cycles, a measure of how many times it can be fully charged and drained before capacity degrades noticeably.
Along with the hardware upgrades, Clicks has announced a partnership with Dbrand, a well-known accessories maker, to produce two protective products. The MNML case costs $39 and comes in three colors. A screen protector package—two pieces with a self-aligning installation tray—runs $34.95. Buyers will also be able to choose from twelve charging covers, including two made from leather, and preview how each option looks on their chosen phone color before ordering. The Communicator itself will be available in Smoke, Onyx, and Clover finishes.
Clicks is also introducing two service offerings. Clicks Care is a two-year protection plan priced at $129.99 that covers drops, liquid damage, cracked screens, cracked camera lenses, cracked housing, and damage to buttons and ports. If something breaks, Clicks ships a replacement phone to you for a $49 deductible, so you're not waiting weeks for a repair. For customers in the United States and United Kingdom, there's Clicks Mobile, a service that lets you add voice and data plans to the phone through an eSIM. New customers who sign up for Clicks Mobile will get two months of service free; the company will announce specific plan options and pricing closer to launch.
The phone supports both eSIM and a traditional nano SIM slot, giving buyers flexibility in how they connect to a carrier. Clicks has confirmed the December 2026 ship date and is maintaining its early-bird pricing of $499 through September 30. Starting October 1, the manufacturer's suggested retail price rises to $649. For anyone who made a reservation during the announcement phase, Clicks has published instructions for converting that reservation into a paid order.
Citazioni salienti
Silicon-carbon batteries showed a higher failure rate in testing compared to lithium-ion batteries, prompting the switch.— Clicks (manufacturer statement)
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