Eric Migicovsky, the founder of the old smartwatch company Pebble, is bringing the brand back with help from Google. Migicovsky, who still uses a Pebble watch, got Google to agree to open-source the Pebble operating system.
This means the Pebble software is now freely available on GitHub. He is starting a new company, independent of Google, to create and launch new wearables using this open-source software. The company’s name hasn’t been decided yet, but there’s a website called RePebble where people can sign up for updates. The goal is to make simple smartwatches with an easy-to-use interface, long battery life, and e-paper displays. The new devices will focus on basic functions like notifications and music control, just like the original Pebble smartwatches.
Migicovsky wants to start a new smartwatch company because he believes today’s smartwatches need what makes Pebble good to use. He thinks that, despite many options from brands like Apple, Garmin, and Google, none really capture the Pebble experience. The original Pebble was popular because it was simple to use, had a long-lasting battery, used e-paper technology, and was easy to customize.
His new company aims to keep these qualities while steering clear of the complicated features often found in modern smartwatches. This time, he also plans to run the business differently by avoiding heavy outside investments and focusing on building a sustainable, self-funded company.
The old Pebble operating system may need updates to work with today’s technology, and the smartwatch market has changed a lot since Pebble was first popular. Nowadays, smartwatches focus mainly on health and fitness features, which Pebble did not prioritize in the past. Also, Google may have been open to making the operating system open-source because it doesn’t see Pebble as a significant threat. The original Pebble also had trouble working with iOS, which will likely still be the case.
Despite facing some challenges, Migicovsky’s team wants to build on the popularity of the original Pebble smartwatch and its loyal community of fans and developers. They plan to use the open-source nature of Pebble’s original software to get the community involved and enhance functionality for future projects.
The relaunch will be done gradually, and prototypes are apparently already in development, but the company expects to fully operate and release products later this year. The new company will also prioritize open-source principles to encourage community contributions and expand the Pebble operating system beyond just smartwatches.
Source: The Verge
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