Pebble launched its next-generation smartwatches last night. Called the Pebble 2 and the Pebble Time 2, these are the successors to the original Pebble smarwatch and the Pebble Time smartwatch. What’s interesting though is that Pebble has launched a brand new product, called Core. The Pebble Core isn’t a smartwatch, and is instead a clip-on activity tracker. Also Read - Pebble Twins TWS earbuds review: Hit or Miss?
Also Read - Pebble Twins Stereo EarPods with up to 25 hours of battery life launched: Price, FeaturesStarting with the Pebble 2, it is thinner and lighter than its predecessor. While the overall look is the same, one big difference is the addition of a heart-rate sensor at the back, which should offer comprehensive fitness tracking. The Pebble 2 also features a ‘high-contrast black and white e-paper’ display, water-resistant capabilities, microphone, built-in activity and sleep tracking and a battery that the company says is good enough to survive for up to seven days. Also Read - Pebble Impulse Fitness Watch with blood pressure monitor launched in India: Price, features
The Pebble Time 2 too looks similar to its predecessor, but the bezels are thinner this time around and the display is up to 53 percent bigger. Unlike the Pebble 2 though, the Pebble Time 2 has a full color e-paper display. Despite the color screen, Pebble says that the battery on the smartwatch is good enough to last up to 10 days. The smartwatch too boasts heart-rate monitor, is water-resistant up to 30 meters, and also features a microphone, and built-in activity and sleep tracking.
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The Pebble 2 is priced at $99 (Rs 6,700 approximately), and will start shipping in September. The Pebble Time 2, on the other hand, is priced at $169 (Rs 11,400 approximately) and will be shipped sometime in November. Both wearables are currently listed on Kickstarter. At the time of filing this story, Pebble has managed to garner over $5.7 million with over 35 days still to go for the campaign to end.
Besides the smartwatches, Pebble has launched an activity tracker called Core. This highly-portable clip-on device is meant for activity tracking and playing music a la Apple’s iPod Shuffle while working out. For activity tracking, is features GPS and is compatible with apps like Google Fit, RunKeeper and MayMyRun among others. It also features 3G support, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and also comes bundled with Spotify for you to play music.
The Pebble Core also includes a button that is programmable, and the company calls it ‘Pebble Core for Hackers’. It runs on Android Lollipop and boasts a battery that Pebble says can last up to 5.5 hours on a single charge. The Pebble Core is priced at $69 (Rs 4,659 approximately), and is currently listed on Kickstarter ahead of shipping in January 2017.
Pebble recently made its debut in the Indian market, and its smartwatches are available exclusively on Amazon India. The Pebble Classic is priced at Rs 5,999, Pebble Time at Rs 9,999, Pebble Time Steel at Rs 15,999 and Pebble Time Round at Rs 13,599. It remains to be seen how long we will have to wait for Pebble’s new devices once they start shipping in the US.
