Pebble Brings iOS Text Replies to Verizon, Custom Vibrations and More

[MacRumors]

Pebble owners that link the smartwatch to an iPhone on the Verizon network can now use the iOS app's Text Reply feature to respond to text messages that show up on their wrist.

Previously the feature was only available to users on AT&T, but the newly released version 3.11 update to the Pebble app brings the same functionality to Verizon users as well. After enabling the option via the updated app, Verizon customers can now send emoji, customizable canned responses, and voice replies, although the latter is limited to Pebble Time owners.

Other improvements brought by the update include more accurate sleep tracking, additional support for daytime naps longer than an hour, a snooze feature that offers up timeline alerts closer to the actual time of an event, and additional vibration patterns for Time-series Pebble owners.

The smartwatch company has also seen fit to rename its accompanying iOS app, from 'Pebble Time' to simply 'Pebble', indicating that all Pebble devices will be able to run firmware 3.0 and later.

Pebble is a free download for iPhone on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Article Link: Pebble Brings iOS Text Replies to Verizon, Custom Vibrations and More

 

[sorinc03]

I'm sorry but what difference does the carrier make to how the watch operates? A text message is a text message, why does the watch care if it's on Verizon or AT&T?

 

[Gymgenius]

That is some fugly watch.

 

[err404]

I'm sorry but what difference does the carrier make to how the watch operates? A text message is a text message, why does the watch care if it's on Verizon or AT&T?

Apple's APIs do not allow apps to directly send SMS messages. To get around this Pebble sends the message via a web based API hosted by the carrier (this API is not standardized so it needs to be coded per carrier). A down side of this technique is that your phone has no record of the text being sent.

 

[Agent OrangeZ]

I had a Pebble Time a couple of weeks ago... I used it for 1.5 weeks and then returned it to Best Buy after Pebble announced a workforce reduction. They literally said they are hurting for money... so yeah... the writing is on the wall... and I decided to not keep a smart watch that may not be supported in the near future. Too bad though. It is a nice little device with fantastic battery life!

 

[err404]

That is some fugly watch.

To be fair, that is an older monochrome model. But I agree, other than the round, most Pebbles are not that great looking IMO.
Still, there is a lot to like about Pebble watches. They were the first to get most of a smartwatch right and still have some advantages over the current crop from Apple or Android ware. It is hard to over state the appeal of an always on screen with a week of battery.
To be honest, if Apple allowed better access to the OS, I think I would prefer a Pebble over my Apple Watch.

 

[Stella]

Another great addition to the Pebble. All round a good watch, decent battery life, and price.

 

[jsavvy]

I know it will probably never happen, but I would love to see iMessage available on these devices. iMessage is the only draw for the apple watch over others for me. I guess that is why Apple won't open this up to devs.

 

[73b]

I had a Pebble Time a couple of weeks ago... I used it for 1.5 weeks and then returned it to Best Buy after Pebble announced a workforce reduction. They literally said they are hurting for money... so yeah... the writing is on the wall... and I decided to not keep a smart watch that may not be supported in the near future. Too bad though. It is a nice little device with fantastic battery life!

They are failing even though their development and production costs were covered by crowdfunding. That's sad.

 

[imola.zhp]

I had a Pebble Steel a few years back for a few months. I really liked it but if I was sitting at my MBP I would get notifications of texts on my wrist, on my phone in my pocket and on my MBP. If I recall correctly, if I read a text on either my MBP or my phone the watch would still show a "missed" notification and if I read a text on my watch, the phone and MBP would still show an unread message. Very annoying, hopefully that is changed but I eventually sold it on eBay to recoup some money. I tried the Fitbit surge next, all it did was make me feel awful for not exercising everyday. It got sold too. Now I'm waiting on Apple Watch 2.

 

[Trey M]

This article is the epitome of why a company like Pebble stands no chance in this space. The moment Android Wear was announced, the Pebble was doomed.

The clear advantage that Apple and Android manufacturers have is their own ecosystem. iMessage, Apple Music (iTunes), phone calls, system notifications, the list goes on. Pebble has no chance to compete in a space where their 2 biggest competitors, Apple and Google, hold the keys to all the features Pebble needs to interface with. Sure, the Pebble has a loyal crowd who CAN do all sorts of stuff, but the functionality is neither simple nor efficient. Pebble will be out of cash soon.

Read the comment above: you can send a text with your watch via AT&T and now Verizon, but your phone doesn't have a record of that text being sent. These kind of cheap workarounds are confusing to uneducated customers and highlight the lack of the essential functionalities anyone would expect when dropping $150+ on a smart watch.

 

[8281]

This article is the epitome of why a company like Pebble stands no chance in this space. The moment Android Wear was announced, the Pebble was doomed.

The clear advantage that Apple and Android manufacturers have is their own ecosystem. iMessage, Apple Music (iTunes), phone calls, system notifications, the list goes on. Pebble has no chance to compete in a space where their 2 biggest competitors, Apple and Google, hold the keys to all the features Pebble needs to interface with. Sure, the Pebble has a loyal crowd who CAN do all sorts of stuff, but the functionality is neither simple nor efficient. Pebble will be out of cash soon.

Read the comment above: you can send a text with your watch via AT&T and now Verizon, but your phone doesn't have a record of that text being sent. These kind of cheap workarounds are confusing to uneducated customers and highlight the lack of the essential functionalities anyone would expect when dropping $150+ on a smart watch.

Pebble needs the workaround because Apple doesn't allow other devices to send texts through the phone. On Android the watch can do a lot more. I like my watch a lot and I use it to workout. I don't want to sweat on and throw weights around with a $300 device on my wrist. People around here are so eager to throw more money at Apple.

 

[2457282]

This article is the epitome of why a company like Pebble stands no chance in this space. The moment Android Wear was announced, the Pebble was doomed.

The clear advantage that Apple and Android manufacturers have is their own ecosystem. iMessage, Apple Music (iTunes), phone calls, system notifications, the list goes on. Pebble has no chance to compete in a space where their 2 biggest competitors, Apple and Google, hold the keys to all the features Pebble needs to interface with. Sure, the Pebble has a loyal crowd who CAN do all sorts of stuff, but the functionality is neither simple nor efficient. Pebble will be out of cash soon.

Read the comment above: you can send a text with your watch via AT&T and now Verizon, but your phone doesn't have a record of that text being sent. These kind of cheap workarounds are confusing to uneducated customers and highlight the lack of the essential functionalities anyone would expect when dropping $150+ on a smart watch.

I always thought that Pebble was an interesting watch, but I agree that a standalone device has no chance. Pebble had years to build up before Android or Apple came out with a watch. But they were crushed because it is not a fully integrated device. I understand that it is better with Android than with iOS, but without a good ecosystem Pebble cannot go far, IMHO.

 

[0098386]

I had a Pebble Time a couple of weeks ago... I used it for 1.5 weeks and then returned it to Best Buy after Pebble announced a workforce reduction. They literally said they are hurting for money... so yeah... the writing is on the wall... and I decided to not keep a smart watch that may not be supported in the near future. Too bad though. It is a nice little device with fantastic battery life!

That's worrying. I have a Kickstarter Pebble and I took back my Apple Watch because I preferred the Pebble... but these days if I had none I wouldn't get either. Pebble appears to be winding down and Apple Watch is still just a "gen 1" product. The futures of both are uncertain.

 

[Gooberton]

Apple's APIs do not allow apps to directly send SMS messages. To get around this Pebble sends the message via a web based API hosted by the carrier (this API is not standardized so it needs to be coded per carrier). A down side of this technique is that your phone has no record of the text being sent.

Downside or upside depends how you look at it