If TCL continued the KEY series, this is what they would have possibly looked like.
When the first iPhone launched back in 2007, it changed the industry forever. No more will you see phones in the future with a physical keyboard and everything happens on the screen. Also, no stylus. Because who wants a stylus? You lose them, you throw ’em away, yuck. However, there are times where we just miss the good ol’ keyboards so if you ever feel nostalgic of the past and want that Blackberry experience, then so does Michael Fisher, also known on YouTube as Mr. Mobile.
The famous YouTuber founded a company called “Clicks Technology”, a smartphone accessory company specializing on Blackberry-styled keyboards for various smartphones, starting with the iPhone. The keyboard case launches for a hefty USD 139 (~PHP 7.7K) price. The founders edition is available now for the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.
The keyboard communicates to your iPhone via a Lightning connector (for the iPhone 14 Pro) or via USB-C (for the iPhone 15 Pro). Slide the case in and you’re good to go. The keyboard is also backlit so that you can comfortably type at night. The case does not come with batteries. Instead it taps onto the iPhone’s own battery to run.
According to Fisher, he found it odd that every electronics we use—tablets, laptops, and desktops use keyboards but not phones. Hence why he founded Clicks Technology.
“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,” Michael Fisher, known as Mr. Mobile on YouTube and co-founder of Clicks Technology, said in a press release.
When you slide the case into your phone, it transforms into a Blackberry-like design featuring the QWERTY keyboard. It’s available in Yellow and, for the founders’ edition, Grey. The former looks attractive and definitely feels retro. However, Android users will have to wait if they want a piece.
To compare, when the Blackberry Key and KEY2 LE were released here in the Philippines, it would cost you about PHP 25,000 which is 3x more than this keyboard attachment. Even then, you barely get support from TCL, the licensed manufacturer of Blackberry phones at the time.
It’s available currently for US users so if you want one, you might need to pay extra shipping fees.
Source: C|Net, Clicks Technology
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