Pebble Time 2 Unveiled With 30-Day Battery and E-Ink Display

[MacRumors]

Pebble smartwatches are making a return this year, and creator Eric Migicovsky this week showed off the finalized design for the upcoming Pebble Time 2.

Migicovsky previewed early designs for the revamped smartwatch back in March when he announced the return of PebbleOS, but the final version has a more refined look. The device features a 1.5-inch rectangular watch face with a set of three buttons on the right side and a single button on the left side.

The watch will be made of 316 stainless steel, with black and silver design options and four colorways. The Pebble Time 2 will have a 64 color e-ink touch screen rather than an OLED display like the Apple Watch, which will allow for an estimated battery life of 30 days.

Other features include a multicolor LED backlight, a compass sensor, dual microphones, heart rate monitoring, step tracking, sleep tracking, a speaker, and waterproofing. The watch is priced at $225, and it's expected in December.

Pebble went bankrupt in 2016 and was sold to Fitbit, which led to the cancelation of planned Time 2 and Core 2 wearables. Migicovsky is now aiming to bring those devices back.

Earlier this year, Migicovsky complained that Apple's restrictions on third-party smartwatches will limit how the Pebble works with an iPhone. He said that it is "nearly impossible" for third-party wearable developers to create an experience that mirrors the Apple Watch experience.

Migicovsky suggested that "Pebble-curious" iPhone users complain loudly to Apple or switch to Android, as Android users will have access to more Pebble functionality than iPhone users.

Article Link: Pebble Time 2 Unveiled With 30-Day Battery and E-Ink Display

 

[heifetz7]

Even with the proliferation of smartwatches, someone wearing this is going to look like the biggest dork - similar to someone wearing the calculator watch in the 90s.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Even with the proliferation of smartwatches, someone wearing this is going to look like the biggest dork - similar to someone wearing the calculator watch in the 90s.

Umm .. Apple Watches are in no way at all "cool" or "stylish" either, sorry to break it to ya'.

 

[Jumpthesnark]

Just when I was thinking it's good that they're releasing these models, MR reminded us that this guy wants us all to storm the gates at Cupertino, demanding that Apple go open platform or whatever. No thanks to that idea.

 

[greg624]

If pebble was sold to Fitbit how are they making watches again?

 

[lyngo]

How long before they go bankrupt again?

 

[greg624]

...

My friends gold SS Series 10 is about as classy as it could get. And I think my titanium ultra looks great too. And if that was really the case about it being dorky, I wouldn’t have people coming up to me at work wondering how they could get one.

 

[Plutonius]

Looks pretty good to me.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Subjective opinion, I disagree. My friends gold SS Series 10 is about as classy as it could get. And I think my titanium ultra looks great too. And if that was really the case about it being dorky, I wouldn’t have people coming up to me at work wondering how they could get one.

Of course it is!

Style is as objective as it gets!

 

[greg624]

Of course it is!

Style is as objective as it gets!

That we can agree on lol

 

[3xBoom]

This must be some sort of money laundering scheme...

 

[turbineseaplane]

That we can agree on lol

Re: Subjectivity, I guarantee you there will be plenty of folks that find these Pebbles "stylish" or "good looking".

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Can't wait to get my hands on this thing. I was on board with the design that was previously announced but this new one looks even better.

 

[mrleblanc101]

Its not e-Ink, its e-Paper, a completely different technology

 

[erikkfi]

When I got my first Apple Watch in 2015, I was sure that Apple would work quickly towards a week or a month of battery life. Ten years later, what do we have? "Great, all-day battery life." And practically the exact same appearance. The only reason to get a new Watch anymore is because your battery is toast.

Apple's restrictions on competing smartwatches leaves them free to keep releasing the same thing year after year. They don't have meaningful competition to worry about. As Apple customers you should be unhappy about that. Those of you who are also Apple shareholders... okay yeah, I get it.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Apple's restrictions on competing smartwatches leaves them free to keep releasing the same thing year after year. They don't have meaningful competition to worry about. As Apple customers you should be unhappy about that. Those of you who are also Apple shareholders... okay yeah, I get it.

This is what I never understand..
It's actually not in anyone's interest, as an Apple fan and customer, to have them be able to rest on their laurels to this degree.

The Apple Watch "updates" have become totally embarrassing.
They are basically just chip bumping it and doing nothing.

 

[Wowfunhappy]

Its not e-Ink, its e-Paper, a completely different technology

I agree it shouldn't be called e-Ink but I don't like the term e-Paper either. Some people really do use the term e-Paper to refer to e-Ink-like screens (e-Ink is a trademark so not everyone can use it), so when someone says "e-Paper" I never know what they're referring to.

The Pebble uses a transflective LCD. If you hate that term... well, it's probably the most descriptive one there is.

 

[Joker1977]

I thought my AW was cool. That was until my daughter advised me to look around next time in city and notice it’s mainly old men wearing sneakers who have them.

 

[turbineseaplane]

I thought my AW was cool. That was until my daughter advised me to look around next time in city and notice it’s mainly old men wearing sneakers who have them.

Exactly.
It's thought of as "cool looking" if you're this guy 👇




People just really don't want to hear that.
I get it -- they like what the smartwatches do for them -- totally fair!

 

[racerhomie]

Umm .. Apple Watches are in no way at all "cool" or "stylish" either, sorry to break it to ya'.

My Series 10 looks very elegant with the Milanese Loop, according to some non tech-y people I talked to. They said it’s eye catching.

I love it for the tech and screen. But random people like it too

 

[canadianreader]

Even with the proliferation of smartwatches, someone wearing this is going to look like the biggest dork - similar to someone wearing the calculator watch in the 90s.

Those vintage watches are making a big comeback maybe because they're basic and they don't spy on you.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Those vintage watches are making a big comeback maybe because they're basic and they don't spy on you.

Agreed ... and also I think some folks are realizing that they are a bit more human and connected to "real life" if they aren't staring at a computer screen, in some shape or size, every BLOODY MOMENT of the day.

 

[captrlp]

Looks like they’ve partnered with Fisher-Price…this thing is going to take the market by storm🙄

 

[turbineseaplane]

Looks like they’ve partnered with Fisher-Price…this thing is going to take the market by storm🙄

They must have hired them away from Apple after they wrapped up on Liquid Glass and Tahoe work.

 

[canadianreader]

Umm .. Apple Watches are in no way at all "cool" or "stylish" either, sorry to break it to ya'.

Apple watches are no longer stylish as they were in the past nowadays everyone is wearing a little black screen