Energy banks can achieve this way more than cost your telephone

Batteries are boring. Whereas a vital part within the overwhelming majority of merchandise, lengthening of a pill, smartphone, or wearable usually is not probably the most thrilling announcement when in comparison with a brand new design or options that change how you employ the gadget in query. That might be one motive why external batteries stay such a continuing: Corporations proceed to prioritize seems to be over battery life.

New chargers and exterior battery packs are a daily presence at commerce reveals just like the Consumer Electronics Show, however probably the most fascinating fashions at this yr’s present all had one thing in widespread. Apart from charging, they’d some further ability that hopefully earned them a spot in your bag or pocket. As devices proliferate and holding them charged turns into much more vital, having a battery that is value greater than its charging capacity looks like it may change into the norm.

The Clicks Energy Keyboard prices and kinds

Clicks’ new battery can act as a keyboard for different gadgets

Clicks, which entered the gadget scene in 2024 with a case that added a physical keyboard to pick iOS and Android telephones, expanded lineup at CES 2026 with a Blackberry-inspired smartphone and a brand new tackle its exterior keyboard. The Clicks Communicator is an Android telephone with a bodily keyboard (and a headphone jack) that is imagined to launch later in 2026. There are causes to be skeptical a couple of startup constructing its first telephone, particularly when it is solely made equipment up till this level, however the gadget is fascinating. The Clicks Power Keyboard may find yourself being extra impactful, although.

The Clicks Energy Keyboard is a 2,150mAh exterior battery with a built-in 5W Qi charger and a bodily keyboard not not like the one featured on Clicks’ circumstances. The thought behind the accent is that it may well cost your telephone simply by magnetically attaching to the again of it, however whenever you want a extra exact, tactile typing expertise, you may simply slide up the top-half of the battery and reveal the bodily keyboard beneath. As a result of the battery is just magnetically connected to your telephone, it’s also possible to rotate your telephone into panorama orientation with out getting in the way in which of the keys.

The Energy Keyboard connects to smartphones over Bluetooth reasonably than USB-C, which implies it may also be used with quite a lot of different gadgets, together with streaming packing containers just like the Apple TV 4K, or VR headsets just like the Apple Vision Pro. It is not the biggest or quickest exterior battery, however its keyboard makes it value holding round.

The Xreal Neo makes any gadget a supply to your AR glasses

Xreal’s dock and exterior battery has a built-in stand

Xreal, an augmented actuality glasses maker and Google partner on Android XR, took a distinct strategy with its new Xreal Neo. The cell dock and exterior battery make it potential to attach the corporate’s glasses to quite a lot of completely different consoles, handheld PCs, telephones, and tablets, whereas holding them charged on the similar time. Historically, Xreal’s glasses require adapters to make all of these connections potential, however the Neo features a built-in cable, stand, and wi-fi charging pad, so you may convert your connection and even prop up no matter you are charging whereas it is displaying content material in your glasses. The Neo itself has a ten,000mAh battery and weighs round 245g, which additionally makes it simply mild sufficient to nonetheless carry whenever you connect it to a different gadget.

The Xreal Neo continues to be extra awkward than a direct connection between a smartphone and a pair of AR glasses, however as a result of it is capable of hold that gadget charged (and even work as an exterior battery whenever you’re not utilizing Xreal’s glasses) it extra simply justifies its place in your pocket or carry-on. Just like the Clicks Energy Keyboard, making an attempt to do extra than simply charging provides it extra of a motive to exist. Even one thing like Belkin’s UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K with Magnetic Ring, which mixes an exterior battery, stand, and MagSafe connector so you may hold your gadget charged with out giving up your favourite MagSafe accessories, tries to be greater than a supply of additional battery life.

Exterior batteries are extra crucial than ever

Nearly everybody owns a telephone and devices that may hook up with it.

The quantity of people that personal smartphones continues to extend, according to Pew Research, and based mostly on recent data from IDC, the variety of wearables and equipment that hook up with smartphones can also be going up. The extra electronics individuals personal, the extra helpful an exterior battery might be to assist hold all of them charged. Working in the wrong way is the renewed curiosity in thinner, extra compact gadgets. Foldables and slim smartphones just like the iPhone Air or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, hand over battery house for a sleeker look. In addition they depend upon exterior batteries to get by means of the day.

These two causes make batteries and different charging gadgets important, but additionally put extra strain on them to earn their spot on the again of your telephone or plugged into your pill. I believe the Clicks Energy Keyboard and the Xreal Neo are simply two examples of how exterior battery packs may change to higher meet this second. Or on the very least, make lugging round an additional battery really feel helpful, reasonably than crucial.