US startup With tactile raised buttons that replicate the phone’s virtual keyboard and add a few more keys, Clicks keyboard Technology has released a mechanical keyboard attachment for iPhones.
The Clicks Creator Keyboard, which debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show, took inspiration from early cellphones like the BlackBerry, which were well-liked in the early 2000s before Apple’s touchscreen-only iPhone was introduced.
With the feedback of a physical key click, this accessory—which is compatible with the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max—aims to provide customers a more tactile experience and increase their typing accuracy while they’re on the go.
Clicks claims that their initial product also frees up screen space that was taken up by a virtual keyboard, allowing more room for apps and other content.
The device has an English-language Qwerty computer keyboard-style layout with 36 polycarbonate keys set inside a silicone unibody construction that comes in grey or yellow.
Enhancing the product’s functionality are features like keyboard shortcuts and dedicated buttons, which include a Tab and Command key that are absent from the iPhone’s digital keypad.
The co-founder of Clicks Technology, Michael Fisher, also happens to be a 1.2 million subscriber YouTube tech critic. “We use keyboards on our desktops, laptops, and tablets every day – so it’s kind of odd that we abandoned physical buttons on the smartphone,” Fisher said.
“Clicks brings the tactility and precision of a physical keyboard to iPhone, so people don’t have to wait until they get back to their desks to create or communicate with the satisfying feedback only real buttons can provide.”
Along with fellow content producer Kevin Michaluk, also known as CrackBerry Kevin, and a group of designers with prior experience at Apple, BlackBerry, and Google, Fisher, also known online as MrMobile, created Clicks Technology.
In order to make interaction with the device intuitive for those who are already familiar with using iPhones, the keypad design is modeled after the virtual keyboard found in Apple’s iOS operating system. This includes identical punctuation and alternative keys.
Without using Bluetooth, the phone inserts into the case and connects via its USB or lightning port. The phone can be charged while the case is on thanks to a pass-through port on the bottom, and the built-in illumination lights the keys at night.
Additional useful design elements include a small metal ballast to help with weight distribution when the attachment is attached, and a vegan leather grip pad on the back of the case.
Although Fisher stated he aims to adapt the design for usage with Android phones as well, Clicks is only now available for iPhone.
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