Smartwatch pioneer Pebble has had a rough go of things since Apple Inc. (AAPL) released the Apple Watch last year. When it has made headlines, it has been for challenges like funding issues staff layoffs.
Today, Pebble is in the headlines again, but in a more positive light, with the announcement of the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 smartwatches, along with the 3G clip-on Pebble Core wearable.
Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2
The first of today’s announcements are follow-up products to Pebble’s first smartwatch and its most powerful one.
The Pebble 2 is an updated version of the original Pebble smartwatch that set Kickstarter records over three years ago. Visually, it’s very similar to the original Pebble, but the Pebble 2 is a bit smaller and thinner, and it skips the plastic display cover in favor of more durable Gorilla Glass. It also gains a built-in optical heart rate sensor and a microphone.
Combined with the weeklong battery life offered by its black and white e-paper display, water resistance to 99 feet, smartphone notifications and Pebble’s Health app, the $99 Pebble 2 is being positioned to take on fitness trackers like the Fitbit Inc‘s (FIT) Charge HR.
The Pebble Time 2 is a new version of Pebble’s mainstream smartwatch line, the Pebble Time. But while the original came in two versions — the Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel — there is just one replacement: the Pebble Time 2.
Like the Pebble 2, the Pebble Time 2 gains increased health and fitness tracking chops with the inclusion of an optical heart rate sensor. It retains the key features that made the original version(s) popular, including water resistance and an epic 10-day battery life.
Pebble has also addressed a key complaint by making the smartwatch’s bezel much smaller, while also increasing the size of the display. As a result, the $169 Pebble Time 2’s color e-paper display has 53% more viewing area, while looking less bulky.
Pebble Core
Pebble also announced an all-new product called the Pebble Core. This is a clip-on wearable aimed at runners. In form factor, it looks something like the Apple iPod Shuffle. Only this wearable includes a 3G radio, Wi-Fi, GPS connectivity and runs Android. The Pebble Core can be used to stream Spotify music while running or to track distance, and there’s no smartphone required. It even has 4GB of onboard storage to download music locally.
The Pebble Core is also extremely expandable and extensible; something that Pebble is promoting as being “hackable.” There’s no display, but its buttons can be programmed for anything from sending an emergency SOS to hailing an Uber, and it is compatible with popular fitness apps like Runkeeper. The built-in battery is good for nine hours and it uses wireless charging.
Not bad for $69.
Like all Pebble devices, the Pebble 2, Pebble Time 2 and Pebble Core play nice with both Android and iOS, and they emphasize battery life — one of the key weak spots of competing smartwatches. They are also all very competitively priced, whether you shop for them as a fitness wearable or as a smartwatch.
Pebble is funding all three new devices on Kickstarter (at the time of writing the company was already at 4 times the $1 million goal). It has turned to Kickstarter for all of its products, so there’s a historical reason for doing so, in addition to those rumors about investment cash being very difficult to secure through traditional sources.
Look for the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 to arrive in September, just in time to take on an expected Apple Watch 2 and the Fitbit lineup for holiday shoppers. The Pebble Core is scheduled to be released in January 2017.
As of this writing, Brad Moon did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
