After Eric Migicovsky, the founder of Pebble and the driving force behind its 2025 relaunch through his new company, Core Devices, unveiled the innovative Index 01 smart ring for capturing quick voice notes and introduced two open-source Pebble smartwatches, the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2, a new device has now joined the lineup.
I’m talking about Pebble Round 2, a modern reimagining of the beloved Pebble Time Round from 2015, once known as the thinnest smartwatch ever made.
At the center of the update is a new 1.3-inch color e-paper display that now covers the entire face of the watch. The large bezel of the original model is gone, replaced by a bezel-free design that delivers a resolution of 260×260 pixels at 283 DPI—roughly double the pixel count of the first Round.
As with previous Pebble devices, the display is always on, reflects ambient light instead of emitting it, and includes a backlight for dark environments.
Battery life has also improved substantially. Thanks to newer Bluetooth hardware, Pebble Round 2 is rated for up to two weeks of use on a single charge. The watch measures just 8.1 mm thick, maintaining its status as one of the slimmest smartwatches available.
The new model is built around a stainless steel frame and will ship in three finishes: matte black, brushed silver, and polished rose gold. Buyers can choose between 14 mm and 20 mm band sizes, depending on the variant, with quick-release silicone bands included in the box. Plus, standard third-party bands in matching sizes are also supported, and Pebble plans to offer optional leather bands.
Pebble Round 2 includes four physical buttons, an optional touchscreen, vibration feedback via a linear resonance actuator, and water resistance rated to 30 meters. Sensors include an accelerometer and magnetometer, enabling basic activity and sleep tracking rather than advanced sports or fitness features.
On the software side, Pebble Round 2 runs Pebble’s open-source PebbleOS. The operating system, mobile apps, and SDK are all open source, allowing developers and enthusiasts to inspect the code, build custom firmware, and create new apps and watchfaces.
For reference, the Pebble Appstore currently hosts more than 15,000 apps and watchfaces, all compatible with the updated hardware. The watch works with both Android and iOS devices, with some features, such as replying to messages via speech input, rolling out gradually across platforms and regions.
Internally, Pebble Round 2 reuses proven components from Pebble Time 2 for its electronics and builds on the mechanical design of the original Round. According to the company, this approach allowed PebbleOS to run on the new hardware within days. The device is currently in the design verification test phase, with fully functional units already demonstrated publicly.
Pre-orders for Pebble Round 2 are now open at $199, with shipping expected to begin in May.
For more information, visit Pebble’s website.
Image credits: Pebble
