Pebble Is Back With 2 New E-Paper Smartwatches Starting at $149

More than a decade ago, a company called Pebble launched an extremely successful Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for an electronic ink smartwatch. After several models were released, Pebble was eventually surpassed by the Apple Watch and Wear OS, but similar products have been missing. Now, Pebble has officially returned with two new devices.

How did we get to this point?

The original Pebble e-ink smartwatch debuted on the Kickstarter platform in April 2012. Its initial fundraising target was $100,000, but by the end of the fundraising, it had raised more than $10 million. This makes it the most funded project in Kickstarter history. The smartwatch started shipping to supporters in January 2013.

Pebble then launched a sequel to several electronic ink smartwatches. The Pebble Steel was launched in 2014 with an upgraded metal design. By this time, Pebble has occupied more than a quarter of the booming wearable device market (Fitbit is the dominant brand).

In 2015, the company launched Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel and Pebble Round. These smartwatches offer significant upgrades, including a 64-color electronic ink display and a more refined design. The previous models were only black and white. Meanwhile, Apple Watch and Android smartwatches are also starting to emerge, with touch screens and tighter phone integrations.

Then, in 2016, things really changed. Pebble launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for Pebble 2, Pebble Time 2 and Pebble Core, which feature a larger display and a more focused health and fitness feature. However, the company was acquired by Fitbit in December 2016 and the watches were cancelled before launch.

After Google acquired Fitbit in 2021, Pebble also became its asset. Until January 2025, Google opened the source of the Pebble operating system, opening the door to Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky to create a new wearable device for the platform.

Two new Pebble smartwatches

After looking back on history, let’s talk about new smartwatches. The newly open source PebbleOS will debut on two devices: Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2.

Core 2 Duo

If you're disappointed that Pebble 2 failed to release, then the Core 2 Duo is just for you. This smartwatch is very similar to the one that was canceled after its release in 2016, but has some improvements.

These features are very similar to Pebble 2:

• Ultra-clear 1.26-inch black and white electronic ink display
• Run over 10,000 Pebble applications and watch faces
• Lightweight polycarbonate frame available in white or black color options
• Waterproof (target IPX8)
• microphone
• Step count and sleep tracking
• Standard 22mm strap

Here are some improvements:

• 30-day battery life (up from 7 days)
• Nordic nRF52840 BLE chip
• speaker
• Linear resonant actuator (quieter and more powerful than vibrating motor)
• More reliable buttons (30% longer service life in the test)
• Barrometer and compass sensors

The Core 2 Duo is now available for pre-order on store.rePebble.com, and it costs $149 in black or white. It will start shipping in July.

Core Time 2

Core 2 Duo is a tribute to the past, while Core Time 2 is a work that founder Eric Migicovsky calls his "dream watch." It is essentially a Pebble 2 that is fully upgraded in 2025.

• 64-color 1.5-inch electronic ink display. Like Pebble Time 2, the text and details space is larger (53% larger area and 88% larger pixels)
• Run over 10,000 Pebble applications and watch faces
• Metal frame and buttons (black/white and possibly a third color option)
• 30 days battery life (estimated)
• Flat glass lenses (reduces glare and reflection than curved lenses in the Pebble Time series)
• touchscreen
• Heart rate monitor
• Waterproof (target IPX8)
• Step count and sleep tracking
• Linear resonant actuator (vibrator)
• Microphone and speakers
• Standard 22mm strap

Core Time 2 is now available for pre-order on store.rePebble.com, and it costs $225 in black or white. It's not as mature as the Core 2 Duo, so it won't start shipping until December.

PebbleOS

The watches run on open source PebbleOS and include all the classic features: notifications, timelines, dials, alarms, timers, calendars, music controls and basic fitness tracking. The coolest thing is that most 10,000+ PebbleOS watch faces and apps are still available.

Eric said some old applications and watch faces may try to connect to servers that have long disappeared. He also noted that since the Core Time 2 has a larger display, a border will be seen around the old app until the developers update them. You can browse the full app store on apps.rebble.io.

There will also be a new companion mobile app for Android and iPhone. A former Pebble employee Eric calls “Steve” has joined the team to lead the effort. For those who want to create new watch faces and apps, an updated SDK will also be available.

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