As a matter of fact, you don’t need a physical keyboard on your phone [Video]

I’m a bit obsessed with bringing back BlackBerry-style physical QWERTY keyboards, and while I’ve tried some of the latest attempts, I still struggle to see their appeal in 2026, and I’m really not sure who would buy these.

The era of physical smartphone keyboards is not the era I mostly grew up with. My first phone without a traditional T9 setup was a Samsung Alias 2, a two-way foldable phone that could use an e-paper QWERTY keyboard. From there I moved on to touchscreen Android smartphones, which I’ve been writing about and living with day in and day out for the past 10 years. That’s why I can’t play nostalgic games. Really Let’s work together. While I’ve really enjoyed the repeated attempts to revive BlackBerry as a brand, I’m not immediately drawn to the physical keys.

But clearly, some People who really want these devices.

It’s entirely possible that hardware is still being built for that market.

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Two of these devices recently crossed my desk, starting with the Unihertz Titan Elite 2. It’s a dedicated QWERTY Android smartphone that first arrived earlier this year, and as BlackBerry reboots go, it’s pretty solid.

The form factor here is compact and comfortable, and the full keyboard feels comfortable under your thumbs. There’s a certain charm to the simplicity of the hardware, which is only emphasized by the bright orange color scheme. But the lack of polish isn’t a problem. The keyboard’s backlight only comes on when you’re actively typing (or after a long slide gesture), making texting in a dark room inconvenient at best and virtually impossible at worst. The software is also quite cumbersome. In addition to the inherent limitations of using a phone with such a small screen, Unihertz’s tweaks to Android 16 feel a bit rushed and unfinished.

It’s a good concept, and for $489, it’s definitely a way to scratch your BlackBerry itch.

However, I was personally intrigued enough by the Clicks Power Keyboard to purchase one myself.

The $119 add-on is a BlackBerry-style keyboard with a built-in battery and Qi2 attachment that allows you to type via Bluetooth with your phone. that the work Very well, the keyboard itself is surprisingly easy to get the hang of, despite the keys being quite small. Attachment points are extended to best fit your smartphone. On my Pixel 10, this means almost full extension.

It works very well on my Pixel 10, but my real problem here is that the whole form factor feels very clunky. Extending the phone is very While satisfying, it’s difficult to balance the weight of the keyboard and phone, reducing the ease of typing. Turning the phone sideways somehow makes it worse, contrary to what I expected.

These are all things you can adapt to, but discourage the idea of carrying this around often. This is a really good idea and might be the best way to quickly get back to the BlackBerry feeling, but it really just solidified something for me. want No longer a physical keyboard.

And that’s a shame.

I really thought the Power Keyboard would be the difference maker for me and help me find my love for physical keyboards.

These devices aren’t for me, and I’m sure they are for many people as well. The rise of touchscreen-only smartphones over the past decade has all but eliminated the muscle memory of physical buttons. Don’t get me wrong, I love Physical buttons are great, but for me the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to digital keyboards. Improved layouts, faster access to emojis and symbols, and more make it hard to go back to a physical keyboard.

While the Unihertz device feels like a play on “Hey, we created the modern BlackBerry,” Clicks is at least thinking outside the box. While the Power Keyboard makes a lot of sense as a magnetic accessory that can be used wirelessly with devices other than your phone, the upcoming Clicks Communicator is being pitched as a dedicated companion device for communication, and I like that angle. In either case, in 2026 I’ll still struggle with the usability of a small physical keyboard. But I appreciate that Clicks is taking a smart approach.

What do you think? Are you a niche customer who wants a physical QWERTY keyboard in 2026?