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Pebble watch
- Thread starter limmk
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TL;DR
Many of the best smartwatches on the market last a day or two at most, a far cry from the week-long battery life that Pebble watches boasted over a decade ago. This is precisely why many people still use their Pebble watches, even though the watches were discontinued around 2016. Community-led efforts have valiantly kept Pebble watches alive all these years, but they have been hampered by a lack of access to the devices’ source code. Thankfully, Google has just released the source code for the Pebble watch, giving developers a chance to continue development.
Pebble, a Kickstarter startup, emerged in the early 2010s with smartwatches that met the needs of many users. The brand distinguished itself by using e-paper-like reflective LCDs, displays that reflect ambient light. Thanks to their e-paper-like displays, Pebble watches offered always-on screens that were readable in direct sunlight. The designs of Pebble watches were minimalist and functional, making them quite popular among a broad demographic. Furthermore, their simple OS and power-efficient processor allowed them to achieve up to a week of battery life on a single charge. Despite the simple OS, the software platform was open and easy to work with, which attracted developers to create a wide range of apps and watch faces.
Although Pebble released several products over the years, it failed to build a large enough following to compete with brands like Apple and Samsung. Ultimately, the company ran out of funding, leading CEO Eric Migicovsky to sell its intellectual property to Fitbit in 2016.
While Fitbit hired many former Pebble employees, it did not release any new products using the Pebble brand or software platform. Consequently, the source code for the OS and firmware remained inaccessible, hindering developers from porting alternative operating systems to Pebble watches.
Despite this obstacle, the Rebble team — a community-led project dedicated to restoring functionality to Pebble watches after the company’s closure — attempted to reimplement the firmware. However, without access to the original source code, this proved to be a significant challenge that they have yet to fully overcome. Currently, the community-developed Rebble OS lacks support for much of the Pebble hardware.
The supported feature matrix for Rebble OS.
The Rebble team was not alone in its efforts to preserve the Pebble watch. Former founder and CEO Eric Migicovsky remained committed to his original vision but lacked ownership of the source code and had limited ability to support aftermarket projects. When it became apparent that Google, which acquired Pebble’s IP through its 2021 acquisition of Fitbit, had no plans to develop products based on the platform, he approached Google with a request to release the source code publicly. To his surprise, Google responded positively, and after an internal review, the company released the source code on GitHub.
The GitHub repository contains most of the source code for the Pebble operating system. The source code for the entire OS is included in this release, so functionality like notifications, media controls, fitness tracking, and support for custom apps and watchfaces can be reimplemented on Pebble watches or other ARM Cortex-M-based microcontrollers. The OS was built with FreeRTOS, so Pebble’s source code included multiple modules for memory management, graphics, and timekeeping, as well as an extensive framework to load and run custom apps written in C and Javascript. However, Google had to remove some proprietary code from the database before they could publish it. Code for chipset support and the Bluetooth stack is missing, for example, so developers will have to do a non-trivial amount of work to build new firmware updates for Pebble watches.
Nevertheless, this release should still simplify the process of pushing out new firmware updates or porting alternative operating systems to Pebble watches, as developers will no longer need to reverse-engineer how every hardware component communicates with Pebble OS. Furthermore, this release may enable the creation of new hardware running Pebble OS, an avenue that Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky confirmed to us he is currently exploring.
We’re excited to see Google release the source code for Pebble OS. Pebble is a brand that many of us at Android Authority have fond memories of. Pebble watches may be nearly a decade old at this point, but they’re still superior in some ways to modern smartwatches.
Pebble source code
Developers interested in peeking at the Pebble source code can find it at the button above.
- Google has released the source code for the Pebble watch on GitHub.
- This comes a little over 8 years after Pebble ceased operations.
- With the source code, developers can not only implement alternative operating systems for existing Pebble watches but also develop new hardware running Pebble OS.
Many of the best smartwatches on the market last a day or two at most, a far cry from the week-long battery life that Pebble watches boasted over a decade ago. This is precisely why many people still use their Pebble watches, even though the watches were discontinued around 2016. Community-led efforts have valiantly kept Pebble watches alive all these years, but they have been hampered by a lack of access to the devices’ source code. Thankfully, Google has just released the source code for the Pebble watch, giving developers a chance to continue development.
Pebble, a Kickstarter startup, emerged in the early 2010s with smartwatches that met the needs of many users. The brand distinguished itself by using e-paper-like reflective LCDs, displays that reflect ambient light. Thanks to their e-paper-like displays, Pebble watches offered always-on screens that were readable in direct sunlight. The designs of Pebble watches were minimalist and functional, making them quite popular among a broad demographic. Furthermore, their simple OS and power-efficient processor allowed them to achieve up to a week of battery life on a single charge. Despite the simple OS, the software platform was open and easy to work with, which attracted developers to create a wide range of apps and watch faces.
Although Pebble released several products over the years, it failed to build a large enough following to compete with brands like Apple and Samsung. Ultimately, the company ran out of funding, leading CEO Eric Migicovsky to sell its intellectual property to Fitbit in 2016.
While Fitbit hired many former Pebble employees, it did not release any new products using the Pebble brand or software platform. Consequently, the source code for the OS and firmware remained inaccessible, hindering developers from porting alternative operating systems to Pebble watches.
Despite this obstacle, the Rebble team — a community-led project dedicated to restoring functionality to Pebble watches after the company’s closure — attempted to reimplement the firmware. However, without access to the original source code, this proved to be a significant challenge that they have yet to fully overcome. Currently, the community-developed Rebble OS lacks support for much of the Pebble hardware.
The supported feature matrix for Rebble OS.
The Rebble team was not alone in its efforts to preserve the Pebble watch. Former founder and CEO Eric Migicovsky remained committed to his original vision but lacked ownership of the source code and had limited ability to support aftermarket projects. When it became apparent that Google, which acquired Pebble’s IP through its 2021 acquisition of Fitbit, had no plans to develop products based on the platform, he approached Google with a request to release the source code publicly. To his surprise, Google responded positively, and after an internal review, the company released the source code on GitHub.
The GitHub repository contains most of the source code for the Pebble operating system. The source code for the entire OS is included in this release, so functionality like notifications, media controls, fitness tracking, and support for custom apps and watchfaces can be reimplemented on Pebble watches or other ARM Cortex-M-based microcontrollers. The OS was built with FreeRTOS, so Pebble’s source code included multiple modules for memory management, graphics, and timekeeping, as well as an extensive framework to load and run custom apps written in C and Javascript. However, Google had to remove some proprietary code from the database before they could publish it. Code for chipset support and the Bluetooth stack is missing, for example, so developers will have to do a non-trivial amount of work to build new firmware updates for Pebble watches.
Nevertheless, this release should still simplify the process of pushing out new firmware updates or porting alternative operating systems to Pebble watches, as developers will no longer need to reverse-engineer how every hardware component communicates with Pebble OS. Furthermore, this release may enable the creation of new hardware running Pebble OS, an avenue that Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky confirmed to us he is currently exploring.
We’re excited to see Google release the source code for Pebble OS. Pebble is a brand that many of us at Android Authority have fond memories of. Pebble watches may be nearly a decade old at this point, but they’re still superior in some ways to modern smartwatches.
Pebble source code
Developers interested in peeking at the Pebble source code can find it at the button above.
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Last edited:
- Joined
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- Joined
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- Joined
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- Joined
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TL;DR
Even though Pebble ceased operations a little over 8 years ago, the brand still has many fans who use their discontinued watches every day. Many Pebble fans have been waiting a long time for someone to release new hardware that matches what they’ve come to love from Pebble watches, and today, the former CEO of Pebble has risen to that occasion. Eric Migicovsky announced a new hardware company called Core Devices today, and it’s bringing to market two smartwatches with the familiar Pebble software and design but dramatically improved battery life.
The reason he’s able to build new watches that run Pebble OS is because, at the end of January, Google released the Pebble Watch source code. This included the source code for the app framework, watch faces, and features like notifications, media controls, and fitness tracking. With this code, developers can build new watches that not only retain most of the functionality of prior Pebble watches but also support existing apps and watch faces built for Pebble OS. That’s especially important because it allows new hardware to tap into the existing library of over 10,000 apps and watch faces built for Pebble OS over the years.
The Pebble 2, Pebble's last smartwatch before it was shuttered.
Regardless, the question remains: why go through all this trouble? Migicovsky’s reasoning for building new Pebble watch hardware is that none of the existing smartwatches on the market meet his full criteria. His ideal smartwatch should have these five features:
Core Devices
Left: Core 2 Duo. Right: Core Time 2.
From the outside, the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 look identical to many Pebble watches of old, with their simple, square designs and multiple physical buttons. The modernization comes from internal changes that allow the new watches to sport much better battery life and new features. Migicovsky says both watches can last up to 30 days on a single charge, a quadruple bump in battery life performance from the original slate of Pebble watches. He attributes this improvement to advancements in Bluetooth chip technology that have been made in the nearly 10 years since the last Pebble watch’s release.
Core Devices
The Core 2 Duo.
Both watches add speakers for the first time on a Pebble watch, allowing them to output sound. This would allow developers to create apps that output speech, such as a ChatGPT client. The watches also have linear resonant actuators, a type of vibration motor that’s quieter and stronger than the eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motors in the original watches. The Core 2 Duo adds a barometer and compass, while the Core Time 2 adds a touchscreen.
Despite the emphasis on physical button navigation, the inclusion of a touchscreen is essential, as Migicovsky points out, to enable new features like complication interactions. Migicovsky hopes developers will create new watch faces with complications that show information at a glance but can also be tapped to open the associated app. When I asked Migicovsky if he had plans to use the touchscreen for other aspects of the OS, he told me that his team will look at gradually incorporating touch support but that he doesn’t want the Core Time 2 to essentially become a “phone on a wrist.” The watches’ buttons remain the intended way to navigate the UI.
Core Devices
The Core Time 2.
The main differences between the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 is the size and nature of the display as well as the materials used to construct the frame. Although both feature an always-on e-paper screen with the same memory-in-pixel reflective LCD technology used in Garmin watches, the Core 2 Duo has a smaller, 1.26-inch black and white display, whereas the Core Time 2 has a larger, 1.5-inch 64-color display with a touchscreen. The Core 2 Duo also has a cheaper polycarbonate frame, while the Core Time 2 has a more premium metal frame. As a result, the Core 2 Duo costs $149 while the Core Time 2 costs $225.
Core Devices
Left: Core 2 Duo. Right: Core Time 2.
The Core 2 Duo will ship starting in July, whereas the Core Time 2 will ship starting in December. Both watches will ship worldwide but only in limited quantities due to parts constraints. They can be pre-ordered now exclusively on the rePebble store — Migicovsky says neither watch will have a retail release. The team can’t manufacture enough watches to send to everyone who showed interest in January, so Migicovsky recommends placing a pre-order now to secure a watch, as pre-orders can be cancelled for a full refund before the watch ships.
By the time both watches ship, Migicovsky hopes to publish a companion app for both Android and iOS. His team will also publish an updated SDK that developers can use to create new watch faces or apps. Developers can also download the firmware source code and create their own operating systems for the watches that are compatible with existing Pebble apps.
- Core Devices has announced the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2, two watches that run the open source Pebble OS and offer up to 30 days of battery life.
- Core Devices is a new hardware company founded by Eric Migicovsky, the former CEO of Pebble.
- The watches go on pre-order today for $149 and $225 respectively and will only be available in limited quantities.
Even though Pebble ceased operations a little over 8 years ago, the brand still has many fans who use their discontinued watches every day. Many Pebble fans have been waiting a long time for someone to release new hardware that matches what they’ve come to love from Pebble watches, and today, the former CEO of Pebble has risen to that occasion. Eric Migicovsky announced a new hardware company called Core Devices today, and it’s bringing to market two smartwatches with the familiar Pebble software and design but dramatically improved battery life.
Who is Core Devices?
Back in 2016, fitness tracker brand Fitbit bought the intellectual property and trademark rights of Pebble, which were later transferred to Google after its acquisition of Fitbit. As a result, Eric Migicovsky can’t legally sell new watches under the Pebble brand. He can, however, sell new watches compatible with Pebble’s operating system under a new technology brand, hence the formation of Core Devices.The reason he’s able to build new watches that run Pebble OS is because, at the end of January, Google released the Pebble Watch source code. This included the source code for the app framework, watch faces, and features like notifications, media controls, and fitness tracking. With this code, developers can build new watches that not only retain most of the functionality of prior Pebble watches but also support existing apps and watch faces built for Pebble OS. That’s especially important because it allows new hardware to tap into the existing library of over 10,000 apps and watch faces built for Pebble OS over the years.
The Pebble 2, Pebble's last smartwatch before it was shuttered.
Regardless, the question remains: why go through all this trouble? Migicovsky’s reasoning for building new Pebble watch hardware is that none of the existing smartwatches on the market meet his full criteria. His ideal smartwatch should have these five features:
- An always-on e-paper screen
- Long battery life (at least 1 week)
- A simple and beautiful design
- Physical buttons for navigating the UI
- Hackable firmware
Core Devices
Left: Core 2 Duo. Right: Core Time 2.
The Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 have Pebble-like hardware but way better battery life
The Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 are the first two smartwatches from Core Devices, and they’re basically modernized versions of Pebble’s final hardware. The Core 2 Duo can be thought of as the modernized version of the Pebble 2, the last smartwatch that Pebble ever sold. Meanwhile, the Core Time 2 is basically the modernized version of the Pebble Time 2, a watch that Pebble was forced to cancel before it ever shipped to buyers.From the outside, the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 look identical to many Pebble watches of old, with their simple, square designs and multiple physical buttons. The modernization comes from internal changes that allow the new watches to sport much better battery life and new features. Migicovsky says both watches can last up to 30 days on a single charge, a quadruple bump in battery life performance from the original slate of Pebble watches. He attributes this improvement to advancements in Bluetooth chip technology that have been made in the nearly 10 years since the last Pebble watch’s release.
Core Devices
The Core 2 Duo.
Both watches add speakers for the first time on a Pebble watch, allowing them to output sound. This would allow developers to create apps that output speech, such as a ChatGPT client. The watches also have linear resonant actuators, a type of vibration motor that’s quieter and stronger than the eccentric rotating mass (ERM) motors in the original watches. The Core 2 Duo adds a barometer and compass, while the Core Time 2 adds a touchscreen.
Despite the emphasis on physical button navigation, the inclusion of a touchscreen is essential, as Migicovsky points out, to enable new features like complication interactions. Migicovsky hopes developers will create new watch faces with complications that show information at a glance but can also be tapped to open the associated app. When I asked Migicovsky if he had plans to use the touchscreen for other aspects of the OS, he told me that his team will look at gradually incorporating touch support but that he doesn’t want the Core Time 2 to essentially become a “phone on a wrist.” The watches’ buttons remain the intended way to navigate the UI.
Core Devices
The Core Time 2.
The main differences between the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 is the size and nature of the display as well as the materials used to construct the frame. Although both feature an always-on e-paper screen with the same memory-in-pixel reflective LCD technology used in Garmin watches, the Core 2 Duo has a smaller, 1.26-inch black and white display, whereas the Core Time 2 has a larger, 1.5-inch 64-color display with a touchscreen. The Core 2 Duo also has a cheaper polycarbonate frame, while the Core Time 2 has a more premium metal frame. As a result, the Core 2 Duo costs $149 while the Core Time 2 costs $225.
Core Devices
Left: Core 2 Duo. Right: Core Time 2.
The Core 2 Duo will ship starting in July, whereas the Core Time 2 will ship starting in December. Both watches will ship worldwide but only in limited quantities due to parts constraints. They can be pre-ordered now exclusively on the rePebble store — Migicovsky says neither watch will have a retail release. The team can’t manufacture enough watches to send to everyone who showed interest in January, so Migicovsky recommends placing a pre-order now to secure a watch, as pre-orders can be cancelled for a full refund before the watch ships.
By the time both watches ship, Migicovsky hopes to publish a companion app for both Android and iOS. His team will also publish an updated SDK that developers can use to create new watch faces or apps. Developers can also download the firmware source code and create their own operating systems for the watches that are compatible with existing Pebble apps.
Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 Specifications
| Specification | Core 2 Duo | Core Time 2 |
| Display | 1.26” B/W | 1.5” 64-colour |
| Resolution | 144×168 pixels, 176 DPI | 200×228 pixels, 202 DPI |
| Interaction | 4 buttons | 4 buttons + touchscreen |
| Frame | Polycarbonate | Metal |
| Sensors | 6-axis IMU, compass, barometer | 6-axis IMU, heart rate |
| Starts shipping | July | December |
| Price | $149 | $225 |
| Mic and speaker |  | |
| Backlight | | |
| Linear resonance actuator (vibrator) | | |
| Battery life | 30 days | 30 days (est.) |
| Connector | Standard Pebble charger | Standard Pebble charger |
| Water resistance | IPX8 (target) | IPX8 (target) |
| Health features | Step and sleep tracking | Heart rate, step and sleep tracking |
| Strap width | 22mm | 22mm |
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It’s been nearly a decade since Pebble was bought out and, in time, slowly killed. But now, Pebble is getting a reboot with the Pebble 2 Duo being the first smartwatch shipping to customers, and it’s ready to pick up exactly where it left off.
Pebble is what built the modern smartwatch. The foundations of Pebble formed what we now know as the “basics” of a good smartwatch. And, as avid fans of Pebble have said over the past few years, nothing quite encapsulates the same experience as the Pebble.
That’s why Pebble is back.
Original founder Eric Migicovsky has rebooted the Pebble brand in part thanks to Google’s release of the PebbleOS source code earlier this year. That alone provides a boost to the experience of using an existing Pebble smartwatch, but the bigger deal is new hardware, and that’s what is currently strapped to my wrist.
The Pebble 2 Duo is the first smartwatch from this reboot, and it’s also quite literally picking up where the last one left off.
Pebble 2 Duo is literally a “do-over” of the Pebble 2 that debuted back in 2016. Comparing the two side-by-side, the design is effectively identical. What’s new this time? Under the hood there’s some better hardware, drastically better 30-day battery life, and a speaker, among other improvements – though lacking a heart rate sensor that was in place on the 2016 model.
Most of that will need time to test, but as I’m starting to use this device, I’m really just struck by how familiar it feels. This is really just a reboot from the smartwatch we left behind 9 years ago.
That starts with the unboxing. The packaging isn’t subtle, with “It’s still time” across the face and “some things are too fun to stay in the past” across the side. The watch itself sits inside of that box next to a USB-C charging adapter, and there’s a separate 22mm band included in a secondary package. The white model I chose is very white (literally my wife’s exact words on seeing it on my wrist), but it does invoke the fun look from the Pebble 2 I bought years ago. The white model also just feels like a blank canvas, ready for the likes of dbrand perhaps to give it some color. I have no idea what the third-party accessory ecosystem will be like for this thing, but a guy can hope, right?
Setup consists of downloading the new Pebble app and pairing.
The watch immediately sprung to life when I dropped it on the charger, and pairing was a breeze. The Pebble app needs a few permissions and then you’re good to go. You can further log into a Rebble account – the fan-powered platform that kept Pebble clinging to life for the past decade – to access the app and watch face store. Since this is a reboot and not an entirely new platform, there’s already a thriving collection of watch faces, though I did notice that some apps didn’t want to work.
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What about PebbleOS?
Well, it’s the same as it was.
The software experience on the Pebble 2 Duo is springy and full of life, or at least that’s how I’d describe it. Fun little animations appear for notifications and transitions, but it’s all very simple. Pressing the side power button brings you to the watch face, while the other three buttons can be used to go up or down in the UI, or select an object. That changes based on the context. In a long notification, those buttons are used to scroll or open a menu, while on watch face, they’re used to access your calendar (down) or your step counter (up).
It’s all very responsive, though I do wish the buttons were a bit less stiff.
Does this smartwatch experience belong in 2025? That’s a question I’m not sure how to answer yet. I’m currently already missing my Pixel Watch 4’s more advanced notifications (especially the ones from my Nest cameras) and that “Raise to Talk” Gemini integration that I love so much. If the Pixel Watch 4, as our review said, puts the “smart” in smartwatch, the Pebble experience feels more like the absolute necessities and nothing more.
But that’s not really a bad thing. There’s absolutely still a place for that, even if it feels more like a niche than ever before.
The first batch of Pebble 2 Duo smartwatches is shipping now, and you can still order your own for $149. I’ll be curious to see how I feel about this experience in the coming weeks, and even more so when the Pebble Time 2 ships later on – that’s the one I really want to use.
Are you interested in giving the Pebble reboot a chance? Is there anything you want to know? Let us know in the comments below!
Well, it’s the same as it was.
The software experience on the Pebble 2 Duo is springy and full of life, or at least that’s how I’d describe it. Fun little animations appear for notifications and transitions, but it’s all very simple. Pressing the side power button brings you to the watch face, while the other three buttons can be used to go up or down in the UI, or select an object. That changes based on the context. In a long notification, those buttons are used to scroll or open a menu, while on watch face, they’re used to access your calendar (down) or your step counter (up).
It’s all very responsive, though I do wish the buttons were a bit less stiff.
Does this smartwatch experience belong in 2025? That’s a question I’m not sure how to answer yet. I’m currently already missing my Pixel Watch 4’s more advanced notifications (especially the ones from my Nest cameras) and that “Raise to Talk” Gemini integration that I love so much. If the Pixel Watch 4, as our review said, puts the “smart” in smartwatch, the Pebble experience feels more like the absolute necessities and nothing more.
But that’s not really a bad thing. There’s absolutely still a place for that, even if it feels more like a niche than ever before.
The first batch of Pebble 2 Duo smartwatches is shipping now, and you can still order your own for $149. I’ll be curious to see how I feel about this experience in the coming weeks, and even more so when the Pebble Time 2 ships later on – that’s the one I really want to use.
Are you interested in giving the Pebble reboot a chance? Is there anything you want to know? Let us know in the comments below!
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