Pebble Time is a discontinued smartwatch developed by Pebble Technology and assembled by Foxlink, released on 14 May 2015. This is the first Pebble to introduce a color e-paper display, as well as a microphone, a new charging cable and a new Pebble Time-optimized operating system.
In early 2015, Pebble announced the product, as well as its fundraising on Kickstarter. The watch received $1M in 49 minutes, breaking a current record, and was the most funded Kickstarter campaign from March 2015 to March 2022, reaching $20.4M all the way to its deadline, from over 78,741 backers.
Pebble ceased operating in June 2018, with the technology sold to Fitbit.
History
Development
After releasing the Pebble Smartwatch, Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky announced the Pebble Time, the second generation smartwatch of Pebble.
Funding
The project was established on Kickstarter, a crowdsourcing website, and reached its goal ($500K) in 17 minutes, $1M in 49 minutes, $10.3M in 2 days, breaking another Kickstarter goal, and finally earning $20.4M by its deadline on 3 March 2015, making it the most funded Kickstarter project to date. Until March 2022, the Pebble Time Smartwatch was officially the most successful campaign on Kickstarter, with almost 80,000 backers pledging $20 million.
Features
Pebble's smartwatches connect to both Android and iOS phones, and using a Bluetooth connection, run native apps that control music on the connected smartphone, display calendars, show fitness/sleep data from Pebble Health, and allow users to set timers. Pebble also has an app store where users can download apps from companies including RunKeeper, ESPN, Uber, Nest, TripAdvisor, Pandora Radio, and Yelp onto their watches. Users can also respond to text messages with the Pebble's microphone, check the weather, create checklists, make voice notes, and view Google Maps directions.
Software
Pebble Time uses Pebble OS version 3.0. This OS is compatible with its color e-paper display. The OS features updated transitions between screens which "morph" into other features due to the constrained space of the watch's face. The OS version is also backward compatible with other features in previous versions of Pebble OS. It works with apps, watchfaces, and settings tailored for Pebble OS v. 2 or lower, as well as its predecessors. Pebble Time still retains most of the features from the original Pebble smartwatch, such as Bluetooth connectivity, and is currently only compatible with the smartwatch itself.
Timeline is a new feature on Pebble OS 3, which currently is only compatible with Pebble Time. It enables the wearer to look at past and future notes, either reminders, alarms, app notifications, scores, weather reports or others. The completed or viewed notifications, ESPN scores, and calendar events are in the "past" section, which is highlighted yellow. The future calendar events, weather reports, or reminders are in the "future" section, which is highlighted blue. To access either, the wearer uses the buttons to look at desired information.
Hardware
The smartwatch comes with a Gorilla Glass 64-color e-paper always-on display developed by JDI with 144x168 resolution and has a pixel density of 182 ppi. This is the first Pebble smartwatch to have a color display, and still retains a LED backlight as well. The watch also has a vibrating motor for silent alarms, and smart notifications. The watch comes with a redesigned charging cable that, like its predecessor's cable, magnetically attaches itself to the watch in order to maintain its water resistance. Unlike its predecessor, the cable attaches to the back of the watch rather than the side, and has the potential to transfer data rather than just power. The band attaches with standard 22 mm pins. The watch is also equipped with an ambient light sensor and 6 axis accelerometer.
"Smartstraps" Pebble Time, as a feature, has a small accessory port on the back of the watchface. Pebble Technology, Corp announced on its developer site that it is possible to create accessory ports on watchbands, otherwise known as "smartstraps". It enables the wearer to attach additional equipment to the watch, including sensors, batteries, and miscellaneous. As a hazard, the "smartstraps" will affect the watch's battery life. As of summer 2015, the "smartstrap" API is still in beta testing. Two smartstraps were funded on Kickstarter so far: the Pagaré strap, which gives Apple Pay-like contactless payment features to the Pebble, and the Tylt Vü strap, which gives Qi capabilities to the Pebble, as well as heart rate measurement.