Well, guys, it's 100% official now—the legendary Pebble Smartwatch is back! Over 10 years after their original Smartwatch was released way back in 2012, and I'm super excited because this was one of my favorite SmartWatches back in the day with so much to offer to the Tech Community. Thankfully, we got a lot of info on exactly what's happening, so let me give you a quick rundown on everything you need to know. And of course, if you appreciate coverage like this, consider subscribing to the e95 Google YouTube channel because we have a lot more content like this coming your way, and trust me, you cannot miss out on any of it!
Quick Overview
Pebble was one of the first major mainstream SmartWatches in its day. At the time in 2012, they raised over $10 million via a Kickstarter campaign for their Smartwatch concept and then would go on to sell over 2 million units in its lifespan. Pebble was so popular, in fact, that it caught the attention of Fitbit, who purchased the brand for $23 million in December of 2016, acquiring all of their intellectual property, including its software and firmware development, and some big-name talent from within the company. After the acquisition, all future projects were cancelled, and for some reason, we never saw Fitbit utilize Pebble again. Of course, as we know, Google bought Fitbit in 2021, and four years later, they allowed for Pebble to be open-sourced, making it available for anyone to use. Since then, the original founder of the Pebble Smartwatch, Eric Migicovsky, has made an official statement stating they would continue work on a Pebble-like device, effectively picking up right where they left off in 2016.
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Specs, Features, and More
As of March 18th, we finally got some real concrete info on what this new Pebble-like Smartwatch project will entail, and if you're a fan of the classic, then I think this will be right up your alley. From what we know so far, we will be getting two SmartWatches from Eric Migicovsky:
- $149 Pebble Core 2 Duo
- $225 Pebble Core Time 2
Pebble Core 2 Duo
The Core 2 Duo is effectively a complete remake of the Pebble 2, upgraded with modern components. It features:
- An ultra-crisp 1.26-inch black and white paper display
- A polycarbonate frame available in black or white colorways
- Water resistance targeting IP 8X certification
- A microphone and speaker for interacting with apps like ChatGPT
- Step and sleep tracking
- A 30-day battery life
- Standard 22mm watch strap compatibility
- Optional JTAG connector for firmware hacking
Pebble Core Time 2
The Core Time 2 is Eric's "dream watch" and is everything the Pebble Time 2 was going to be. It features:
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- A larger 1.5-inch 64-color e-paper display with touch support
- One-tap complications on watch faces
- A metal frame and metal buttons (likely CNC-machined aluminum)
- Available in black and white, with a possible third color option
- IP AX water resistance
- Heart rate sensor, microphone, and speaker
- 22mm watch strap compatibility
- A 30-day battery life
Software and Compatibility
Both SmartWatches will be running the now open-source Pebble OS. They'll support core Pebble features like:
- Notifications
- Timeline functionality
- Watch faces
- Alarms
- Over 10,000 Pebble apps and watch faces from the start
Most existing apps and watch faces should still work, though some might show a border on the larger Core Time 2 until updated. There will also be a new companion app for iOS and Android, with an updated SDK released to developers.
Why This is a Big Deal
Everything about this just seems spot on. They're doing everything right here—these watches are incredibly simple, touching on everything that made the first one so popular:
- E-paper display
- Physical hardware buttons
- Long battery life
- Insane third-party developer support
The design calls back to the good old days—not overly flashy or out of touch. Software-wise, the flexibility is awesome as it will be usable on iOS and Android, and the pricing is super affordable, especially at that $149 price point. Basically, they stuck close to all of the characteristics that made the first round of Pebble watches so charismatic to people, and without a doubt, I have a strong feeling this will be a huge success for Pebble.
Expectations and Availability
Eric Migicovsky has made it clear regarding the scope of this project. He mentions in the full statement that releasing these Pebble watches is a labor of love, not a large startup aiming for mass sales. Because of that, there may be some rough edges, potential delays, features missing at launch, and the possibility of things breaking or not lasting as long as desired. The only guarantee we're told we will get from these SmartWatches is that they will be awesome and a lot of fun, which is something we desperately need in the tech world.
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From what we're told, this is not an Apple Watch competitor, nor is it a sports or fitness watch, and it isn't trying to compete as such. I think that's totally fine for the first official release in over a decade—lower the pressure a little bit and just have fun and see where things go.
With that in mind, though, it seems that there will be an issue with general availability considering the smaller scale of this release. According to the blog post, these watches will be sold exclusively through the republished store, and they will only be sold in limited quantities due to a limited supply of display components. This means pre-ordering is the only way to get one at this time, as it will not be sold in stores. Again, the blog post mentions that pre-ordering is highly recommended because the number of watches manufactured at this time is fewer than the amount of people already signed up on rep Pebble's website.
Shipments will begin in July for the $149 Core 2 Duo and in December for the $225 Core Time 2. Maybe at some point, they can get these supply chain issues sorted out so that many more people can enjoy these SmartWatches.
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