Your Old Pebble Watch Will Come to Life With the New App
While Core Devices is not directly focused on porting the new open-source PebbleOS to older Pebble devices, there's active development by community members.
The Rebble project continues to support older Pebble watches, providing functionality independently of the new PebbleOS.
Last week was exciting for those who have been interested in wearable tech for a while. After nearly a decade of dormancy, Pebble returned with the announcement of two new Pebble ePaper smartwatches coming this year. Now, we're getting some good news for old Pebble watches, too.
The journey has been an interesting one for owners of the original Pebble smartwatches. Back in 2016, the company filed for insolvency, and Fitbit acquired most of Pebble's assets. The Pebble web services were discontinued on June 30, 2018, rendering existing devices mostly unusable.
However, Pebble diehards banded together to create "Rebble," an unofficial development group with the mission of extending support for existing devices. Rebble allowed users to switch their devices from the original Pebble web services over to Rebble Web Services, restoring some of the functionality. This was a great community-driven project that saved many Pebbles from being abandoned.
With the news of Google open-sourcing the PebbleOS codebase earlier this year and the new smartwatches, there's been some excitement about the possibilities for older devices. Founder Eric Migicovsky addresses several of the frequently asked questions he's been receiving, including the future of old Pebble watches.
Will my old Pebble watch work with the new upcoming iOS and Android apps?
Yes! We will launch a new app for iOS and Android before we start shipping Core 2 Duo. This new app will be compatible with all old Pebbles on firmware 3.x and above.
The new upcoming app mentioned is a companion app for the new Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 watches. This app will essentially take the place of the long-gone original Pebble companion app, and it will bring back easy access to watch faces, apps, and settings. Currently, you can browse the store at apps.rebble.io.
But what about the new PebbleOS? Will that be coming to old Pebble watches? Eric addresses that question as well.
Can my old Pebble run the new open source PebbleOS?
Maybe! Updating old watches to work with the new firmware is not something we (Core Devices) is focused on, but there is a, among others, a very smart ex-Pebbler working on this and we are helping as much as we can. Are you an embedded developer and want to help? Join #firmware-dev on the Rebble Discord.
That sounds like a pretty strong "maybe," which is cool to hear. Of course, if you really want to use an old Pebble, the Rebble project is still alive and kicking. You certainly don't need to wait for the new PebbleOS to be ported over, but it does sound like that will likely happen at some point.
This is all very exciting for everyone who has owned or been interested in a Pebble smartwatch. There's something special about an ePaper display and battery life measured in days instead of hours. It's a great option for people who want a more minimal experience. If you'll excuse me, I need to go dust off my old Pebble Time Steel.
Source: Eric Migicovsky
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
20 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
How to track your kids screen time — and the best tools to do it
Keeping track of your kids' screen time has become essential in today's digital world, but knowing where to start can feel overwhelming. Between smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and computers, children have access to screens everywhere they go. Whether you want to set daily limits, block certain apps during homework time, or simply see how much time your kids spend on different activities, there are solutions that fit every family's needs. Most devices already have built-in tools to help you monitor and limit usage, and there are additional apps and services that can give you even more control. Here's how to track your kids' screen time and the best tools to do it. Norton 360 Deluxe: No one wants their kid to spend all their time buried in a phone. With Norton 360 Deluxe's Parental Control dashboard, you can gain a clear view of how much time your child is spending online. You can support healthy habits by scheduling specific times and hours per day on their PC or Android devices. Keeping them off their phones and into family dinner discussions is just a few clicks away. Every iPhone, iPad, and Android device automatically tracks how much time is spent in each app and creates detailed reports you can review. On iOS devices, go to Settings and Screen Time to see charts showing daily and weekly usage broken down by app categories like Social Networking, Games, and Entertainment. You can see exactly which apps your child used most and when they were most active during the day. Android users can find similar data in Settings and Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls. These reports show not just total screen time, but also how many times apps were opened and which hours of the day had the highest usage, giving you a complete picture of your child's digital habits. Once you know which apps are consuming the most time, you can set daily limits directly through your device's settings. On iOS, tap App Limit in Screen Time settings to restrict specific apps or entire categories like Social Networking or Games to a certain number of hours per day. When the limit is reached, the app becomes grayed out and requires a passcode to continue using. Android's Digital Wellbeing offers "App Timers" that work similarly. You can set different limits for weekdays versus weekends and create exceptions for educational apps that you want your child to use freely. Many parents will be surprised to discover which apps their children spend the most time using. Built-in screen time tools rank apps by usage, showing you whether your child is spending three hours a day on TikTok or if educational apps actually make up a significant portion of their screen time. This data helps you make informed decisions about which apps need limits and which ones are actually beneficial. Many devices also show "pickups" — how often your child unlocks their device throughout the day, which can indicate compulsive usage patterns even if total screen time seems reasonable. Norton Family provides more detailed monitoring and control options than built-in device features. The service tracks website visits, app usage, and location data across multiple devices from one central dashboard. To set it up on an iPhone or iPad, install the Norton Family app, then go to Settings, Privacy, Location Services and set Norton Family to "Always." Next, enable Content & Privacy Restrictions in Screen Time settings and turn off Safari so all browsing goes through Norton's monitored browser. Norton Family also lets you set custom time limits, block inappropriate content, and receive alerts when your child tries to access restricted websites or exceeds their screen time limits. Setting up regular screen-free times is just as important as monitoring total usage. Most devices let you schedule "Downtime" periods when only essential apps like Phone and Messages work, encouraging breaks from recreational screen time. You can set different schedules for school nights versus weekends, automatically blocking entertainment apps during homework hours. To set up downtime periods on your iPhone, for example, navigate to Settings, Screen Time and Downtime. Here, you can schedule when your iPhone will limit access to apps, allowing only those you choose These scheduled breaks help establish healthy boundaries and ensure screen time doesn't interfere with sleep, family meals, or other important activities. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
Tom's Guide
20 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Love retro smartphones? This leaker is turning old iPhones into art
Sonny Dickson is known for leaking the latest information about upcoming smartphones. We've covered several Sonny leaks on Tom's Guide over the years, and his track record is quite solid. But Dickson isn't just here to spill the beans about upcoming phones. He's also a fan of the past, which is why his new product, called Collectible Phones, is designed to take discarded smartphones from the past and transform them into art. As soon as I saw the first framed phone, I had to know more about the project. I did some digging and found that it's not just about making art, but there's a "commitment to sustainability" motivating the project. We generate a significant amount of e-waste, so finding a way to repurpose old phones is beneficial. It could introduce a whole new item to collect — people collect retro games and other old tech, so why not phones? I asked Dickson what inspired him to start the project. "Everything I saw on the market just wasn't very good, poor layouts, low-quality parts, or sloppy presentation," he said in an interview with Tom's Guide. "I knew I could create something that truly celebrated the technology and history of these devices, with the quality and attention to detail they deserved." Currently, the website has a deconstructed original iPhone for sale. It's a conversation piece to have on the wall, and it gives you a little history of the first iPhone. Every detail, from the dimensions to the specs of the camera, is laid out. If you've ever wanted to take an original iPhone apart but were too afraid to, this $349 art piece is worth a look. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And it's not just the art pieces — Dickson's website features a wide selection of vintage phones for sale, all of which are fully intact and in good condition. You can get an original iPhone, the T-Mobile G1, the first Android phone and more. The prices are reasonable for these phones, with the G1 selling for only $167. But these phones aren't easy to find, as Dickson says that getting them is "extremely hard, especially if you're looking for perfect back housings and original components in great condition." As soon as you start talking about collecting, you have to think about rarity. Every collectible item, from trading cards to Funko Pops, has its value connected to rarity. If collecting old phones takes off, some devices are going ot be harder to come by than others. "The 4GB iPhone 2G is one of the rarest. It was only on the market for a short time before Apple replaced it with the 8GB version. Finding one in pristine condition can feel like hunting for some sort of treasure," said Dickson regarding the rarest phone. If you have one of those kicking around your home, you may have a piece of history that not everyone can get their hands on.
Engadget
2 hours ago
- Engadget
Here's the final design of the Pebble Time 2 e-paper smartwatch
Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky and his new company, Core Designs, have been beavering away on new e-paper smartwatches and the team has just revealed the final design of the higher-end model. The Pebble Time 2 has a 1.5-inch, 64-color e-paper screen, with a touchscreen, metal frame, heart-rate monitor and (it's claimed) up to 30 days of battery life. The frame is a bit more curved than on pre-production versions of the Pebble Time 2. The top and bottom buttons on the right side are now angled rather than sitting in a straight line with the center one. With the strap attached, the Pebble Time 2 weighs about 48 grams, and the body is about 32.5 grams. Core Designs has added more features to the smartwatch as well. The Pebble Time 2's front, rear and buttons will be made using 316 stainless steel. It will also have a multicolor RGB LED backlight, compass sensor and screw-mounted back cover. In addition, the team has incorporated a second microphone, which Migicovsky said could be used to potentially support environmental noise cancellation. It was previously confirmed that the Pebble Time 2 would have a quick-release 22mm strap, flat hardened glass lens, step and sleep tracking and a speaker. The watch will also boast a vibration function and water resistance. Core Designs plans to offer the Pebble Time 2 in four colorways, but the team hasn't settled on the options yet. Once it has, it will email everyone who has pre-ordered the smartwatch and ask them to pick a color. The Pebble Time 2 is currently scheduled to start shipping in December and it will cost $225 (the $149 Pebble Duo 2 became available last month). Migicovsky and the team recently regained the Pebble trademark. As such, they were able to start using the Pebble branding again and renamed what were previously called the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2.
