Pebble smartwatch about to make a comeback: Google releases source code

The Pebble smartwatch, once a pioneer in the wearables market, is about to make a possible comeback. This news comes shortly after Google released the source code of the associated operating system Pebble OS as open source.

The Pebble smartwatch became famous in 2012 thanks to an extremely successful Kickstarter campaign. With its minimalist design, long battery life and e-paper display, it quickly gained a loyal following. In 2016, Pebble was acquired by Fitbit, which ultimately led to the discontinuation of production and development of new devices. Google later bought Fitbit in turn.

New life through open source

The founder of Pebble, Eric Migicovsky, has now announced that he and a small team are working on a new Pebble-like smartwatch. This will be based on the recently released Pebble OS. Migicovsky explained that the release of the source code by Google was a crucial step in restoring the functionality of Pebble watches and developing new devices.

Last year, Migicovsky sold his most recent start-up, a messaging app called Beeper to Automattic for about $125 million and left the company in the autumn. The Pebble brand name still belongs to Google. Migicovsky will therefore have to come up with a new name. You can currently sign up for a waiting list on the website Repebble.com and get the latest information on the project.

Planned functions and design philosophy

The new smartwatch will retain the core features of the original Pebble devices, including an always-on e-paper display, long battery life and a simple but appealing user interface. In addition, new functions are to be integrated, although Migicovsky has not yet revealed the details.

One particular focus is on enabling developers and users to easily create their own customisations and applications. According to Migicovsky, there were over 16,000 different watch faces available to download from the Pebble App Store at the time.