It appears to be like like a Pebble, it really works like a Pebble, however don’t name it a Pebble. Eric Migicovsky, the unique creator of the Pebble smartwatch, simply unveiled two new smartwatches — the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2. These religious successors to the Pebble smartwatches are obtainable for pre-orders for $149 and $225 respectively.
In case you aren’t acquainted with Pebble, this Palo Alto-based startup was one of many first breakthrough successes of the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform again in 2012. The corporate created smartwatches earlier than the Apple Watch and Android-based smartwatches existed.
Whereas Pebble managed to promote over two million units, the corporate abruptly closed in 2016. After an insolvency course of, what was left of the corporate was acquired by its rival Fitbit.
Quick ahead to 2024, Migicovsky had a daring concept. What if we might again to those less complicated instances and less complicated tech units? What if we might convey again Pebble smartwatches?
Google has been surprisingly useful on this course of because the tech large is open-sourcing PebbleOS, the working system that powered the unique Pebble smartwatches.
It seems that Google acquired Fitbit a number of years after Fitbit acquired Pebble’s property. However Pebble’s IP wasn’t price a lot for Google, so the corporate determined to provide it again to the group of Pebble lovers.
Now, Core Units, Migicovsky’s new firm, is unveiling two new smartwatches that may run PebbleOS. The Core 2 Duo is basically a brand new Pebble 2 working the unique Pebble software program.
It has an always-on E Ink show with a number of buttons on the aspect of the system. In comparison with 2025 smartwatches, it’s a reasonably fundamental watch. That E Ink show is a non-touch, black-and-white show. However the smartwatch helps alarms and timers — groundbreaking, I do know.
It pairs along with your cellphone utilizing Bluetooth in order that it might show notifications and connect with the web. You can too management the music in your cellphone due to this Bluetooth connection.
However the two issues that made the Pebble stand out from its successors are nonetheless true as we speak. First, the battery life is great. The corporate guarantees as much as 30 days of battery life. Second, it’s a enjoyable, hackable system. There are 1000’s of watchfaces and it’s simple to create small apps for the system.
“This challenge is a labour of affection quite than a startup making an attempt to promote hundreds of thousands of watches. There could also be some tough edges (actually). Issues will get delayed. Some options won’t be prepared at launch. Issues might break. Issues couldn’t final so long as you’d like,” Migicovsky wrote.
“The one factor we are able to assure is that will probably be superior and numerous enjoyable! Each time you look down at your watch, you’ll smile 🙂” he added.
The opposite smartwatch introduced as we speak, the Core Time 2, primarily shares the identical specs because the Core 2 Duo, however with an even bigger, 64-color show in a metallic casing. It’s additionally a contact show, however Pebble apps don’t assist contact interactions for now.
Migicovsky says shipments for the Core 2 Duo ought to begin in July. The Core Time 2 will take a bit longer to provide because it ought to solely be obtainable in December.
