Pebble, the no-frills smartwatch brand founded in 2012, is making a comeback. Founder Eric Migicovsky revealed that Google has agreed to open-source the company’s operating system, paving the way for the creation of a new watch under his yet-to-be-announced name.
Founded on Kickstarter in 2012, Pebble specialized in affordable smartwatches with e-paper screens and features like music control and notifications, lasting up to 5-7 days on a single charge. Despite being overshadowed by giants like Apple, Pebble offered watches designed for everyday use with smart features built-in.
However, the company’s ambitious funding and rapid scaling led to financial struggles, culminating in its sale to Fitbit in 2016 (now part of Google) for $23 million. Fitbit was later absorbed into Google’s ecosystem as the company fought to compete with Apple in both mass-market and niche markets.
Migicovsky plans to restart Pebble’s development and release a new watch that will be nearly identical to previous models but with an open-source software license, allowing customization across devices. The new venture is expected to operate sustainably using his own capital after previously running a messaging startup acquired by WordPress.
Fans of Pebble are hopeful for a revival that delivers on the brand’s signature features, though Migicovsky emphasized no changes will be made unless fans demand them. Updates on the new watch will be available via rePebble.com once production begins.
Source: https://gizmodo.com/pebble-founder-is-bringing-the-smartwatch-back-as-google-open-sources-its-software-2000555464