Clicks changed my mind about using a keyboard with my iPhone 16

I made a solid attempt to type my story on the original Clicks Keyboard case on Clicks itself, but it turned out to be an ambitious target, as I found typing on it slow and a bit frustrating. Physical keyboards on phones are pretty unusual these days, and my fingers were simply not used to the process, while the keys themselves just didn’t quite work for my typing style.

It made me wary of the revised Clicks Keyboard case for the latest Apple iPhone 16 series, to the point where I had put off giving it a try over a few other things. But the time came to put it on my iPhone 16 Pro Max and try it out. So, has anything changed? Well, you’re reading words typed on it, and I’m pleased to say it’s a considerable improvement over the first model. It has changed my mind about the merits of using a physical keyboard with my touchscreen iPhone.

Typing is king

The hardware changes between the original Clicks Keyboard case model and this new one may appear minimal, but they have made a substantial difference to typing accuracy and comfort. I found it hard to pinpoint the right keys with my thumbs on the original Clicks, usually ending up pressing more than one at a time, but it’s so much easier on the iPhone 16’s version. I actually have been able to build up a typing rhythm, something I found impossible before, and it has encouraged me to use the case’s physical keyboard more.

Flatter, more naturally spaced, less sticky, and more “pressable” at an angle, the keys on Clicks v2 have been dramatically improved without losing any of the pleasing tactility that became lost in the frustration that blighted the first version for me. In fact, the motion and clickiness of the keys is considerably more pleasant under your finger now. Rather than solely being a nostalgic sensation, typing on the new iPhone 16’s Clicks Keyboard case is now more productive, a balance I struggled to find on the first version.

Typing on the keyboard is the only reason to buy a Clicks case, and when I found it too frustrating on the first version, I mostly passed it off as a neatly designed, niche piece of nostalgia for those who can still remember their BlackBerry Messenger PIN.

But the v2 Clicks Keyboard case is different. Refined and more usable, it doesn’t have the same shockingly steep learning curve (with questionable reward even as you neared the top) that afflicted the first version. I forced myself to use the old Clicks, but I want to use the new one.

What else is new?

The more ergonomically designed, vastly improved keyboard is the primary upgrade, but there are some other important changes that make the new version usable as a case too. It now has MagSafe technology built in so you can use it with your MagSafe charging accessories, but a Clicks-equipped iPhone 16 Pro Max is a heavy, lop-sided combination and it didn’t feel quite as secure as it does usually on my Anker MagGo Wireless Charging Station.

Another new feature is the USB-C port on the bottom that now supports data transfer so it can be used with CarPlay and syncing with your computer. This was a particular pain point for me when I used the first case.

The materials used for the case are higher quality too. The plastic is smoother and less scratchy, making it feel more expensive and durable, while a microfiber layer protects the back of your phone when it’s inside the case. New for the iPhone 16’s Clicks case is a cut out for the Camera Control, while the other buttons are made from separate pieces of metal, rather than moulded into the case like the first, adding to the improved-quality feel.

There’s no doubt the company learned a lot from designing and manufacturing the first version, and it’s fantastic to see genuine improvements in the case’s construction. I’ve tried out the basic Onyx-colored version, but there are two other color options — a blue Surf and a caramel Spice — that look far more eye-catching.

While I’ve genuinely found it a much improved experience, the one issue Clicks can do nothing about with its keyboard case remains: It adds considerable length to your phone. I’ve been using it on an iPhone 16 Pro Max, and it’s equally as long and ungainly as the first Clicks case on my iPhone 15 Pro Max.

It upsets the natural balance of the phone, and fatigue does set in when you support the bottom of the case on your little finger when typing. However, because the typing experience is much better, it is slightly less of an issue this time. Based on this, I imagine Clicks with an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro is still the preferable option, and I expect you’ll notice the typing improvements even more too.

Should you buy Clicks for your iPhone 16?

Clicks for the iPhone 15 series was a hard product to recommend. It needed such dedication to type quickly and accurately, I felt it was purely the domain of the keyboard nerd rather than anyone interested in productivity, or even keen tech geeks in general. The Clicks Keyboard case for the iPhone 16 series hasn’t fixed the size compromises you must make to use it (mostly because it simply can’t), but it’s so much better to type on, there’s a greater opportunity for more people to get to grips with it.

At $139 for the small version and $159 for the large Clicks case, it’s still really expensive, but the build and quality improvements help justify the cost. It’s unfortunate there’s no incentive for early adopters of the first Clicks to get the new version to go with the new phone they inevitably purchased though. It’s a shame because I don’t think everyone will have gelled with the old one, and they may think twice about paying out this amount again, despite the revised version being far more likely to please them.

It would be easy to close by saying it’s the physical keyboard for the iPhone that keyboard fans have waited for, but that would do it an injustice. Based on typing the majority of this article on Clicks attached to my iPhone 16 Pro Max (with the back of the phone resting against the edge of my desk to save my little finger), it has elevated it beyond those only wanting to recapture those days gone by. It should be considered by anyone wanting to increase their productivity while gaining that special tactile typing pleasure that’s only available with a physical keyboard.