There's a new BlackBerry-style keyboard case for iPhone and it comes with a clever, hidden extra

If you miss your BlackBerry and its physical keyboard, you aren't alone. I still remember my BlackBerry days fondly and have been an iPhone user for over a decade. There is a solution though, that allows you to not only use an iPhone, but have a physical keyboard, too.

You may remember Clicks launching an attachable keypad a couple of years back – in the form of a case with a keyboard at the bottom. You could buy the case for both Android phones and iPhones, though it wasn't the cheapest solution around.

However, there's a new competitor in town – and it brings something extra to the party.

What is the Akko MetaKey?

The Akko Metakey offers a similar solution to Clicks but in a cheaper format. And it includes a clever extra to help balance the weight when you're using it.

Spotted by The Verge, the MetaKey is available for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and the latest iPhone 17 Pro Max. It allows for text entry via a physical keyboard, disabling the iOS on-screen alternative so you see more of what is on your display.

As with Clicks, that does mean you end up with an iPhone that is somewhat taller – you might find it top heavy too. But if you do, Akko includes a detachable 9g weight which you can insert into the back of the keyboard in order to deliver a more balanced experience.

The Akko MetaKey case connects to your iPhone via USB-C and it has its own USB-C port for charging. It has a backlight for late night messaging and is MagSafe compatible too.

It also features shortcut keys for numbers and triggering app-specific functions, while there's a mode that turns the top two rows into big scrolling buttons.

Colour options for the Akko MetaKey case include black, white, orange, pink, green, blue and purple, with prices for the iPhone 16 Pro Max version being $69.99 / £44.39 / €60.19 and the iPhone 17 Pro Max $59.99 / £44.39 / €51.59 for a limited time.

By comparison, the new Clicks case for the iPhone 17 Pro Max costs $159, though it does have lanyard holes to make it compatible with the new Apple crossbody strap.