Energy banks can accomplish that far more than cost your cellphone

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

New chargers and exterior battery packs are an everyday presence at commerce exhibits just like the Consumer Electronics Show, however probably the most attention-grabbing fashions at this 12 months’s present all had one thing in frequent. Moreover charging, they’d some further talent that hopefully earned them a spot in your bag or pocket. As devices proliferate and maintaining them charged turns into much more essential, having a battery that is value greater than its charging means looks as if it may develop into the norm.

The Clicks Energy Keyboard fees and kinds

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

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 cellphone with a bodily keyboard (and a headphone jack) that is speculated to launch later in 2026. There are causes to be skeptical a few startup constructing its first cellphone, particularly when it is solely made equipment up till this level, however the gadget is attention-grabbing. 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’ instances. The concept behind the accent is that it may cost your cellphone simply by magnetically attaching to the again of it, however while you want a extra exact, tactile typing expertise, you’ll be able to simply slide up the top-half of the battery and reveal the bodily keyboard beneath. As a result of the battery is simply magnetically hooked up to your cellphone, you can even rotate your cellphone into panorama orientation with out getting in the best way of the keys.

The Energy Keyboard connects to smartphones over Bluetooth relatively than USB-C, which suggests it can be used with quite a lot of different units, together with streaming containers just like the Apple TV 4K, or VR headsets just like the Apple Vision Pro. It isn’t the biggest or quickest exterior battery, however its keyboard makes it value maintaining 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 method 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 maintaining 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’ll be able to 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 gentle sufficient to nonetheless carry while you connect it to a different gadget.

The Xreal Neo remains to be extra awkward than a direct connection between a smartphone and a pair of AR glasses, however as a result of it is in a position to maintain that gadget charged (and even work as an exterior battery while 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 offers it extra of a purpose 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’ll be able to maintain 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 vital than ever

Virtually everybody owns a cellphone and devices that may connect with it.

The quantity of people that personal smartphones continues to extend, according to Pew Research, and primarily based on recent data from IDC, the variety of wearables and equipment that connect with smartphones can be going up. The extra electronics individuals personal, the extra helpful an exterior battery will likely be to assist maintain all of them charged. Working in the other way is the renewed curiosity in thinner, extra compact units. Foldables and slim smartphones just like the iPhone Air or the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, hand over battery area for a sleeker look. Additionally they rely on exterior batteries to get via the day.

These two causes make batteries and different charging units important, but in addition put extra stress on them to earn their spot on the again of your cellphone or plugged into your pill. I feel 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, relatively than vital.