Energy banks can accomplish that far more than cost your telephone

Batteries are boring. Whereas an integral 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 employ the system in query. That may very well be one motive why external batteries stay such a relentless: Corporations proceed to prioritize seems to be 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 fascinating fashions at this yr’s present all had one thing in frequent. In addition to charging, they’d some further ability that hopefully earned them a spot in your bag or pocket. As devices proliferate and maintaining them charged turns into much more vital, having a battery that is price greater than its charging potential looks as if it may turn 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 out 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 alleged to launch later in 2026. There are causes to be skeptical a few startup constructing its first telephone, particularly when it is solely made equipment up till this level, however the system is fascinating. The Clicks Power Keyboard would possibly 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 concept behind the accent is that it could cost your telephone simply by magnetically attaching to the again of it, however while 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 barely magnetically connected to your telephone, you can too rotate your telephone into panorama orientation with out getting in the best way of the keys.

The Energy Keyboard connects to smartphones over Bluetooth slightly than USB-C, which suggests it will also be used with a wide range of different units, together with streaming containers just like the Apple TV 4K, or VR headsets just like the Apple Vision Pro. It is not the most important or quickest exterior battery, however its keyboard makes it price 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 special method with its new Xreal Neo. The cellular dock and exterior battery make it potential to attach the corporate’s glasses to a wide range of totally different consoles, handheld PCs, telephones, and tablets, whereas maintaining them charged on the identical 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 gentle sufficient to nonetheless raise 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 preserve that system 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, attempting 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 preserve your system charged with out giving up your favourite MagSafe accessories, tries to be greater than a supply of additional battery life.

Exterior batteries are extra obligatory 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 be going up. The extra electronics individuals personal, the extra helpful an exterior battery can be to assist preserve all of them charged. Working in the wrong 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 upon exterior batteries to get by means of the day.

These two causes make batteries and different charging units 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 raised meet this second. Or on the very least, make lugging round an additional battery really feel helpful, slightly than obligatory.