Pebble smartwatch with e-ink display. (Image credit: Eric Migicovsky)
It’s been implicit a decennary since we saw a caller Pebble smartwatch. Eric Migicovsky, Pebble’s erstwhile founder, said Monday Google has released the root codification of PebbleOS and changed its presumption from proprietary to unfastened source, enabling enthusiasts to physique and make caller Pebble smartwatches.
Migicovsky said helium had initiated talks with Google to open-source PebbleOS. Migicovsky confirmed connected his blog that the marque volition marque a comeback with a caller smartwatch “with the aforesaid specs and features arsenic Pebble, though with immoderate amusive caller additions arsenic well.”
I’m thrilled to stock that Google has open-sourced the Pebble smartwatch firmware today! https://t.co/LGbPZ1K4YM
— Liam McLoughlin (@Hexxeh) January 27, 2025
According to Migicovsky, a tiny squad of engineers is moving connected a new Pebble smartwatch, though it mightiness spell by different name, arsenic Google inactive owns the rights to the sanction Pebble. The upcoming Pebble smartwatch is expected to person the aforesaid specs arsenic the past model, and users tin present motion up for updates via repebble.com regarding the smartwatch’s development.
As of now, determination is nary nonstop timeline for the motorboat oregon pricing of the upcoming Pebble smartwatch, but it is expected to beryllium overmuch cheaper than smartwatches from brands similar Apple and Samsung.
Although Pebble stopped selling smartwatches backmost successful 2016, galore users, including Migicovsky, inactive deterioration a Pebble smartwatch. “I’ve tried each azygous astute ticker retired there, but nary bash it for me. No 1 makes a smartwatch with the halfway acceptable of features I want,” said Migicovsky.
He was talking astir the watches’ e-ink display, extended artillery life, a elemental and beauteous idiosyncratic experience, buttons, and the quality to hack oregon customise its software. He besides said manufacturing a smartwatch similar Pebble is overmuch easier these days, acknowledgment to cheaper, much capable, and energy-efficient Bluetooth chips.
Pebble, an accessory startup that began its travel connected Kickstarter, was acquired by Fitbit and past by Google.