If you have fond memories of clicking away on the BlackBerry, the Palm Treo, the T-Mobile Sidekick or similar handhelds from back in the day, I have good news for you: Phones with keyboards are making a comeback. Sort of.
There's a growing number of companies looking to bring back clicky, tactile buttons, whether for that nostalgic appeal or to reinvent phone keyboards as an addition to your iPhone or Android device. Some of these have even just announced their plans at CES 2026 or will be bringing these button-filled phones to this year's Mobile World Congress.
From keyboard cases to modern-day BlackBerry clones, here's what we know about the potential QWERTY renaissance.
The BlackBerry Classic, as seen here, is one of a number of phones having an unexpected revival. A company called Zinwa is swapping out the phone's internals with updated hardware, and then selling it. Josh Miller/CNET
Why are keyboards on phones making a comeback?
It's difficult to assess the exact turning point for when physical phone keyboards made a comeback, but we have a couple of guesses. Perhaps the biggest reason this is happening is that people rely on their phones as their primary computer. As such, they're probably typing long emails or editing documentation with just their phone's touch keyboard.
While that's perfectly fine for most people, some yearn for the comfort and tactile feel of physical keys. And perhaps getting tired of bad autocorrect errors when typing too quickly.
Another potential case for phones with keyboards is simply the desire for variety. Some people might feel a general fatigue over the familiar look and feel of modern smartphones. Having a handset that functions differently -- see the popularity of recent flip and folding phones -- is a welcome change.
Plus, phones with keyboards appeal not just to the older generation who miss them, but also to the younger generation who are increasingly into retro tech.
The Clicks case, as seen here during CES 2024, lets you add a keyboard onto your existing phone. Nick Wolny/CNET
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