Clicks — the company bringing physical keyboards back to mobile — is getting ready to ship its first-ever Android smartphone, and it’s shaping up to be a pretty interesting device. Ahead of its launch later this year, the company is upgrading a handful of the Clicks Communicator’s specs and announcing new accessories, protection coverage options, and eSIM plans.
When the company announced the Clicks Communicator back at CES this year, it was primarily pitched as a secondary device meant to pair with your main smartphone. It seems like the team has heard from its potential customers that some might be satisfied with this being their main smartphone, which has prompted a handful of changes to improve the overall experience.
By far, the biggest upgrade is a move from 8GB to 12GB of RAM, something I’ll be calling a “reverse Pixel 11 Pro” situation. While other smartphone makers are doing whatever they can to reduce RAM — while increasing prices along the way — Clicks is adding additional memory to the device to better futureproof the phone. Its upgrade policy isn’t quite on par with Google or Samsung, but three promised OS upgrades and five years of security updates will, at the very least, pull your Communicator through to around 2032. Clicks has also moved its launch platform to Android 17 out of the box and bumped its battery capacity up to 4,350mAh.
On the accessory side, Clicks and Dbrand are bringing the latter’s new MNML cases to the device, along with its Prism screen protector that includes a self-aligning tray — is there any other way? Clicks will also continue to offer its bumper Ring case for those looking for a more minimal approach to protection. Dbrand’s case and screen protector will run you $39 and $35, respectively, while the Ring bumper case is $49. Additional Charging Covers, allowing you to switch up your phone’s design, will also be available for $50 or $80, depending on material.
Finally, Clicks is launching both a protection plan and eSIM options for its users. Clicks Care is a $129 protection plan that delivers replacements or repairs for accidental damage over a two-year term with a $49 deductible; it’ll be available in the US and Canada. Clicks Mobile, meanwhile, is a new MVNO offering that brings voice and data to the Communicator via eSIM in the US and UK. Subscribers will receive two months of free service when activating their device at launch.
Clicks Communicator is set to ship in December, with reservation holders getting invites today to configure their final orders. September 30th — about two weeks away — is the last day to pre-order the device at its $499 launch price; starting October 1st, it moves to its base MSRP of $650. Anyone who scores the device as its cheaper starting price won’t be asked to pay more for its battery or RAM upgrades.
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Will Sattelberg is a writer and podcaster at 9to5Google. You can reach out to Will at will@9to5mac.com, or find him on Twitter @will_sattelberg
