In a scene from the recently released film BlackBerry, Glenn Howerton plays Jim Balsillie, the former CEO of BlackBerry, and he loses it when the initial Apple iPhone is shown. He was aware that this was the beginning of BlackBerry’s swift collapse.

Why didn’t he have a crystal ball, though? This amazing new iPhone accessory (no, it’s not just another iPhone 15 Pro Max case) that can enhance your Apple phone with a real, physical keyboard attachment would probably amaze Balsillie. Clicks for iPhone is a software that accomplishes just what its name suggests: it gives iOS users a tactile, click-y typing experience.

Clicks for iPhone is compatible with the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Pro, or iPhone 15 Pro Max (the previous iPhone 14 Pro, which had a Lightning connector instead of a USB-C port, is also supported). It is currently available for pre-order for $139, ahead of its anticipated release date of February 1. It will come in two colorways: BumbleBee (yellow) and London Sky (dull/gray, you guessed it).

While it is the brainchild of longtime YouTube successes Michael Fisher (MrMobile) and Kevin Michaluk (CrackBerry Kevin), working with an experienced mobile team to make this product materialise, I am in no way implying that BlackBerry is participating in this endeavour.

Clicks for iPhone is everything but a gimmicky iPhone attachment. It connects to the host Apple phone via the USB-C or Lightning port and functions as a physical keyboard, giving users extra screen real estate and preventing the on-screen virtual keyboard from appearing.

In order to connect Clicks for iPhone with the features of Apple iOS, the designers even included keyboard shortcuts and task keys. The physical space bar can be used to scroll, and the command (CMD) key can be used to swiftly navigate to the homescreen or start the search.

Because Clicks for iPhone uses the power from your Apple smartphone, it doesn’t require a separate charger. Once you’re done using it, the keyboard is easy to remove in one piece. It has a dedicated keyboard backlight so you can see what you’re doing in the dark (or, if you’re retro like me, you’ll go back to old-school speed-thumb touch-type mode).

The world’s largest technology expo, CES 2024, will serve as the debut venue for Clicks for iPhone. The company’s creators hope to pique the interest of both new and old audiences with this event, which begins next week on January 8. Therefore, I predict that this physical keyboard concept will be one of the show’s biggest hits, regardless of whether you’re hankering after a BlackBerry-like keyboard experience on your iPhone or this idea seems like the design of the future for your needs.

Topics #A New Physical Keyboard Update #Apple Phone #BlackBerry-like keyboard #iPhone and BlackBerry Collide #New Physical Keyboard