The Return of Pebble: A New Chapter in Smartwatch History
Fast forward to 2025 and the story of Pebble is poised for a dramatic comeback. Eight years after being acquired by Fitbit, and afterward absorbed into Google, the iconic smartwatch brand is set to rise from the ashes. Eric Migicovsky, founder and CEO of the original Pebble, is back at the helm, determined to revive the smartwatch that once captured hearts with its minimalist design and intuitive experience.
However, this isn’t a simple rebranding exercise. The circumstances surrounding Pebble’s resurgence are deeply intertwined with Google’s own strategic shift. In a surprising move, Google has decided to open-source PebbleOS, the very software that powered the original Pebble smartwatches. As Google explains in a blog post, this initiative is “part of an effort to help and support the volunteers who have come together to maintain functionality for Pebble watches after the original company ceased operations in 2016.”
This unexpected progress has provided Migicovsky with the perfect opportunity to launch a new chapter for Pebble. “We’re restarting Pebble,” he announced with characteristic enthusiasm. While he’s yet to reveal the official name of his new venture, he’s already immersed himself full-time in the project. The open-sourcing of PebbleOS will be a crucial advantage, allowing him to rapidly accelerate development and bring his vision to life.
Migicovsky’s ambition might seem audacious, given the already crowded smartwatch market. Apple, with its dominant market share, has set the benchmark for design and features. However, migicovsky believes his new venture will carve out a unique niche. His motivation stems from a personal desire: “I want to make the watch I want,” he states candidly, emphasizing that the Pebble he currently wears, a decade-old relic, simply won’t do. “I’ve tried everything else,” he adds, hinting at his dissatisfaction with current alternatives. “I have very high standards.”
This commitment to excellence and the nostalgia associated with the original Pebble could prove to be a winning combination. Only time will tell if this new iteration of Pebble can recapture the magic of its predecessor and establish itself as a major player in the ever-evolving world of wearable technology.
The Pebble Revival: Can a Classic Watch Find its Place in a Modern World?
In a world dominated by sleek,interconnected smartwatches,whispers of a comeback from a beloved but defunct watch brand have started to circulate. Eric Migicovsky, the founder of Pebble, announced his ambitious plan to resurrect the iconic e-paper smartwatch. This isn’t just a nostalgia trip; Migicovsky believes there’s a market for a watch that prioritizes simplicity, battery life, and user experience.
He takes it back to the roots of Pebble,highlighting the features that made it a success: “Always-on e-paper screen (it’s reflective rather than emissive. Sunlight readable. Glanceable. Not distracting to others like a luminous wrist),” he writes on his blog.
This new pebble promises long battery life, a user-kind interface focused on essential functions like timekeeping, notifications, music control, and health tracking, and, surprisingly for a modern device, physical buttons for navigating without looking at the screen. A feature that wasn’t readily available in its competitors at the time, and which Migicovsky seems especially passionate about.
A key part of Pebble’s legacy was its open-source nature, allowing users to customize their experience with thousands of watch faces. Migicovsky highlights this in his post: “Hackable (apparently you can’t even write your own watch faces for Apple Watch? That is wild. There were >16k watch faces on the Pebble app store!)” His new Pebble intends to continue this tradition, building on the foundation laid by PebbleOS, which Google open-sourced after acquiring the company.
While Pebble sold 2 million smartwatches during its initial run, it ultimately couldn’t compete with the growing influence of Apple Watch. Migicovsky acknowledges the challenge but remains optimistic. “As for whether an audience remains for Pebble in a post-Apple Watch world, he jokes, “There are at least dozens of us.” The existence of a dedicated subreddit for Pebble, even years after its closure, is a testament to the brand’s enduring appeal.
Migicovsky is taking a cautious approach to the revival. He’s self-funding the project, seeking to build “modestly, based on consumer interest.” he’s already visited Shenzhen to assess the current manufacturing landscape and is confident in the feasibility of bringing back a new pebble. “Turns out making hardware is much easier than it was 10 years ago,” he notes. “There were no smartwatches factories. We had to tell the factories what to do.”
The biggest hurdle, according to Migicovsky, is software development. Though, with PebbleOS readily available, the foundation is in place. “The hard part is the software,” he admits. “By opening up PebbleOS, Google made that bit considerably easier.”
“This is a passion project,” Migicovsky says. ”I have a vested interest in making the watch. We’re going to make this happen.” The question remains: will this passionate project resonate with a new generation of smartwatch users seeking a simpler, more focused experience? time will tell.
