It seems to be 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 — known as the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2.
These non secular successors to the Pebble smartwatches are available for pre-order, costing $149 and $225 respectively.
If you happen to aren’t accustomed to Pebble, the Palo Alto-based startup was one of many first breakthrough successes of the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform — all the best way back 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 was acquired by rival Fitbit (now a division of Google, in fact).
Quick ahead to 2024, Migicovsky had a bold idea: what if we may return to these less complicated instances and less complicated tech units? What if we may carry again the spirit of the Pebble?
Google has been surprisingly useful on this course of because the tech big is open-sourcing PebbleOS, the working system that powered the unique Pebble smartwatches.
Whereas Google acquired Fitbit a number of years after Fitbit acquired Pebble’s belongings, it seems that Pebble’s IP wasn’t value a lot to Google, so the corporate determined to provide it again to the neighborhood of Pebble lovers.
Now, Core Units, Migicovsky’s new firm, is unveiling two new smartwatches that can run PebbleOS. The Core 2 Duo is basically a brand new Pebble 2 operating the unique Pebble software program.
It has an always-on E Ink show with a number of buttons on the aspect of the machine. In comparison with 2025 smartwatches, it’s fairly primary. That E Ink display is a non-touch, black-and-white show. However the smartwatch helps alarms and timers — groundbreaking, I do know.
The wearable pairs along with your telephone utilizing Bluetooth in order that it could actually show notifications and connect with the web. You can too management the music in your telephone due to the Bluetooth connection.
However the two issues that made the Pebble stand out from its successors are nonetheless true right now. First, the battery life is great. The corporate guarantees as much as 30 days of battery life. Second, it’s a enjoyable, hackable machine. There are thousands of watchfaces and it’s simple to create small apps for the machine.
“This challenge is a labour of affection quite than a startup attempting to promote thousands and thousands of watches,” Migicovsky wrote in a weblog submit asserting the units. “There could also be some tough edges (actually). Issues will get delayed. Some options is not going to be prepared at launch. Issues may break. Issues couldn’t final so long as you’d like.”
“The one factor we are able to assure is that it will likely be superior and a whole lot of enjoyable! Each time you look down at your watch, you’ll smile 🙂,” he added.
The opposite smartwatch Migicovsky’s firm introduced right now, the Core Time 2, basically shares the identical specs because the Core 2 Duo, nevertheless it has 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 and ship; it’s slated to be out there in December.
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