Pebble OS is the operating system originally developed by Pebble Technology (launched through one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns in history) for their line of smartwatches, known for its simplicity, long battery life, and user-friendly interface.
The company quickly established itself as a pioneer in the burgeoning smartwatch market. However, in 2016, Fitbit acquired Pebble, which Google later purchased. After which, well… the project just didn’t get further development. But things have changed now.
In an exciting turn of events for wearable technology enthusiasts, Google has just announced the open-source release of the core operating system behind the beloved Pebble smartwatches, which aims to support the committed community members and volunteers who have kept Pebble watches alive long after the original company closed its doors in 2016.
At the same time, the release excludes certain proprietary components, such as chipset support and parts of the Bluetooth stack, meaning the code will not compile as-is.
But the big news follows – Eric Migicovsky, Pebble’s founder, has revealed plans for a next-generation Pebble. In his announcement, he candidly admits he was waiting for someone else to create a worthy successor. Since that never happened, he has decided to helm a small, sustainability-minded team to develop a new watch.
Importantly, this new device will still run an open-source Pebble OS and maintain compatibility with existing Pebble apps and watchfaces. While the core specifications will echo the original smartwatch’s signature features, Migicovsky hints there will be “some fun new stuff as well.”
Enthusiasts who have never found another smartwatch as charming or functional as the original Pebble can visit rePebble.com to sign up for updates.
Image credits: Eric Migicovsky
