US start-up Clicks Technology has launched a mechanical keyboard attachment for iPhones, featuring tactile raised buttons that mimic the phone's virtual keyboard while adding a few extra keys.

Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show, the Clicks Creator Keyboard was informed by early smartphones such as the BlackBerry, which were popular in the early 2000s prior to the launch of Apple's touchscreen-only iPhone.

Available for the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, the accessory aims to provide a more tactile experience and allows users to type with greater accuracy whilst on the move due to the feedback of a physical key click.

According to Clicks, the company's first product also frees up on-screen real estate that was previously occupied by a virtual keyboard to make more space for apps and other content.

The device features a silicone unibody design, available in grey or yellow, with 36 polycarbonate keys arranged in the same format as an English-language Qwerty computer keyboard.

Features such as keyboard shortcuts and dedicated buttons – including a Command and Tab key – that are missing from the iPhone's digital keypad help to enhance the product's functionality.

"We use keyboards on our desktops, laptops and tablets every day – so it's kind of odd that we abandoned physical buttons on the smartphone," said Clicks Technology co-founder Michael Fisher, who moonlights as a YouTube tech reviewer with 1.2 million subscribers.

"Clicks brings the tactility and precision of a physical keyboard to iPhone, so people don't have to wait until they get back to their desks to create or communicate with the satisfying feedback only real buttons can provide."

Fisher, who is known online as MrMobile, founded Clicks Technology with fellow content creator aKevin Michaluk – known as CrackBerry Kevin – alongside a team of designers with experience at Apple, BlackBerry and Google.

The keypad design mimics the virtual keyboard in Apple's iOS operating system, with punctuation and alternate keys configured in the same way to make interacting with the device intuitive for existing iPhone users.

The phone slides into the case and connects through its lightning or USB port so it does not rely on Bluetooth. A built-in backlight illuminates the keys at night, while a pass-through port on the bottom means the phone can be charged while the case is attached.

Other practical design details include a vegan leather grip pad on the rear of the case and a small metal ballast to improve weight distribution when the accessory is attached.

Clicks is currently only available for iPhone but Fisher said he hopes to evolve the design for use with Android phones as well.

Other products launched at this year's Consumer Electronics Show include Rabbit's AI-powered R1 device, which is designed to carry out tasks such as booking flights or editing images, as well as a device that allows users to conduct four different medical checks at home.

All images courtesy of Clicks Technology.

CES 2024 took place in Las Vegas from 9 to 12 January 2024. See Dezeen Events Guide for an up-to-date list of architecture and design events taking place around the world.