The Evolution of Smartwatches: A Look Back at Pebble and the Pebble 2 Duo
In the rapidly evolving world of wearable technology, smartwatches have transformed from mere timepieces into multifaceted health gadgets. Over the last five years, giants like Apple, Garmin, Google, and Samsung have prioritized features such as exercise tracking, sleep monitoring, and health alerts. Among these advancements, the most sophisticated models even serve as satellite communicators, catering to users who lead hyperactive lifestyles, far removed from standard cellular coverage.
What Makes a Smartwatch Truly Smart?
Despite the multitude of features offered by modern smartwatches, many users, including myself, yearn for a device that primarily tells the time. While I value health and fitness functionalities, my ideal smartwatch would simply deliver essential notifications and assist in daily tasks without necessitating frequent phone interactions. A step counter and a quiet alarm are more than enough for me; what I desire is a watch that embodies smart functionality over fitness accessory status.
The Pebble 2 Duo: A Return to Basics
The Pebble 2 Duo, priced at $149, nearly meets my expectations. This smartwatch boasts an always-on e-paper display, allowing it to show the time continuously. With a battery life extending up to a month, it sends notifications directly to my wrist, providing a basic level of fitness tracking. While it lacks the aesthetic polish found in premium models like the Apple Watch or Garmin, its light and thin design ensures it remains unobtrusive. Although not perfect, the Pebble 2 Duo is an impressive revival of an idea that originated nearly a decade ago.
A Brief History of Pebble
For those unfamiliar with the brand, Pebble was launched in 2012 through a groundbreaking $10 million Kickstarter campaign. It was one of the first successful smartwatches, predating Apple’s entry into the market by three years. Despite initially thriving and shipping millions of devices, Pebble faced challenges as growth stagnated and eventually sold to Fitbit in 2016. Fitbit, in turn, was acquired by Google in 2021, leaving the once-popular Pebble brand dormant, with a small community of dedicated users known as Rebble.
The Revival: Eric Migicovsky’s Vision
Eric Migicovsky, Pebble’s co-founder, may have moved on, but his passion for the smartwatch remained. Earlier this year, he successfully convinced Google to open-source Pebble’s operating system, empowering anyone, including himself, to build new hardware with Pebble software. He founded Core Devices with the aim of continuing the Pebble legacy, focusing not on reinvention, but on creating more of what fans appreciated about the original design.
A few things about the device itself have been upgraded, but nothing of note has changed. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
A Closer Look at the Pebble 2 Duo
The Pebble 2 Duo closely resembles its 2016 predecessor, the Pebble 2, with some components even coming from stock that was preserved over the years. The device retains its signature black-and-white 1.2-inch e-paper display encased in a chunky polycarbonate shell. While I find the retro-tech aesthetic less appealing, the customizable 22mm band allows for personal stylistic touches. I opted for a fabric NATO strap, which fit perfectly.
New Features and Improvements
The most prominent new feature is a small integrated speaker designed for future functionalities, like voice interactions with AI. Currently, it allows for text responses on Android devices, although this feature is limited on iOS. Minor enhancements include sturdier buttons, better suited for long-term use, and more advanced Bluetooth chips that extend battery life. While marketed with a 30-day lifespan, practical use revealed an average of three weeks, which remains commendable for a smartwatch.
Timeline view: perfect idea for a smartwatch. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Usability of the Pebble 2 Duo
My experience with the Pebble 2 Duo revealed several useful functionalities. Showing the time is its forte, courtesy of the efficient screen and powerful battery. The multitude of watch faces—although many are not visually appealing—offers some variety. It also displays calendar events in a simple, scrollable format, fitting well into the “assistance” role of smartwatches.
Users can customize notifications, choosing which to send to the wrist and filtering out the less important ones. I appreciate receiving alerts for texts and calls, making it easier to manage my communications while occupied. Music control is another invaluable feature, allowing me to skip tracks without reaching for my phone.
The Pebble Appstore is filled with stuff, but you don’t need much of it. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The Right Fit for Users
Reflecting on my time with the 2 Duo, I find it stands out as a straightforward and functional device, especially for those uninterested in diverse fitness tracking. It does include basic workout and sleep tracking features, although they may not meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts. However, for someone like me who seeks a simple daily assistive device with minimal distractions, the Pebble 2 Duo fits the bill.
If you lean towards more advanced health features, you might want to wait for the upcoming $225 Time 2, which promises a full-color touchscreen and heart rate monitoring. Despite its limitations, I am pleased to see Pebble’s concept revived in a market overflowing with highly fitness-focused devices, offering a smartwatch that feels more like a classic watch—just a little smarter.
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