Launched as the most funded Kickstarter campaign back in 2012, Pebble, the groundbreaking smartwatch producer, saw an unfortunate closure four years later. Acquired by Fitbit, another fitness tech contender, its essence went on contributing to developing Fitbit’s Ionic smartwatch. It wasnt’t Pebble’s design that caused its closure. Instead, the company’s rapid expansion and introduction of vast features soon left its initial vision behind.
The creator of Pebble, Eric Migicovsky, has unexpectedly revealed his plans to resurrect his brainchild. He shared this exciting information with TechCrunch recently, his expressions telling much before words. But what propels this faith-filled venture?
Fitbit, including the essence of Pebble, was acquired by Google in 2021. Since then, Google has decided to open-source software stack of the then-gone but unforgettable Pebble smartwatch.
By doing so, Google aims to assist the volunteers who have been tirelessly working on conserving the Pebble watches since its operations ended five years ago. The open-sourced PebbleOS would serve as an invitation to third-party hardware contributors, and Migicovsky’s firm is ready to seize the opportunity.
The plan is still at the ideation stage and has much to decide upon, including a new title for the firm. But Migicovsky’s complete dedication towards the project, and the upcoming accessibility to PebbleOS, is clear evidence that the venture would see the day of light soon.
The aim remains modest and focused: to bring back the smartwatch that its creator has long desired. Be it the post-Apple world, Pebble still holds its fan base firm, which keeps it alive. However small the demand may be, the revived Pebble is sure to quench the desire of its loyal patrons.
Migicovsky sees this new firm, still in its infancy, as a conduit to creating the smartwatch he dreams about. And having witnessed firsthand how modern manufacturing works in Shenzhen, he feels confident about the small firm’s potential to create Pebble suitable for today’s technology expectations. And Google has evidently made this daunting task easier by opening up PebbleOS.
Original source: Read the full article on TechCrunch
