Keyboard smartphones stage a niche comeback, trading glass for tactile control
A new wave of keyboard-equipped phones from UK-based Clicks Technology and China’s Unihertz is reviving tactile entry as a niche market, appealing to nostalgia, control, and accessibility with features like physical keys, interchangeable backs, expandable storage, and a wired 3.5mm jack. After strong pre-orders and crowdfunding, the segment faces rising component costs but remains a small, persistent corner of the smartphone world amid growing competition.