The smartwatch horizon isn't limited to the Apple Watch, Wear OS models, or even Garmin sports watches. A new player has just appeared, or rather reappeared: it's possible to wear one of the two new models launched today by Pebble on your wrist. A name that might ring a bell for smartwatch veterans!
Back to the future for the wrist
Between 2013 and 2016, the geekiest rushed to buy Pebble watches, products that might seem austere today with their e-paper screens and large physical buttons. But the software was innovative and its openness allowed for the creation of numerous apps and watch faces. Unfortunately, the surge of the Apple Watch, whose first generation dates back to 2015, sealed the fate of Pebble.
At the end of 2016, founder Eric Migicovsky sold his company's assets to Fitbit, which was itself acquired by Google five years later. Google itself ended up open-sourcing the code for the PebbleOS operating system; as a result, anyone who wants to can use it in their products. And this is also the case for Eric Migicovsky, who decided to put his money back in the pot!
At the head of Core Devices, the entrepreneur has launched pre-orders for two new models... which aren't really new. The Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 - the "Pebble" brand is protected - actually take the design and functions of the late Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2, modernizing them. Rest assured, the physical buttons are still there, but the Core Time 2 incorporates a touchscreen. This will allow complications to be better controlled.
Despite everything, the buttons remain the preferred mode of interaction for these watches, which retain the spirit of the Pebble watches of the time: simplicity and autonomy (the battery lasts a month!), always with the idea of offering tinkerable products in mind. A development kit is in preparation, but in the meantime, the approximately 10,000 apps and watch faces of the Pebble are compatible.
The Core 2 Duo integrates a 1.26-inch monochrome screen, that of the Core Time 2 measures 1.5 inches and is in color (64 in total). The chassis of the first is plastic, the second is metal. Both models have a linear actuator for vibrations, which will be more discreet than the large motor of the time. There's also a barometer and compass in both, with the Core Time 2 also having a heart rate monitor. The watches are aiming for IPX8 certification.
Prices are $149 for the Core 2 Duo, with shipping scheduled for July, and $225 for the Core Time 2 (shipping in December). In the meantime, the Core Devices team will be putting the finishing touches on the companion iOS and Android apps.
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