Pebble Time 2 smartwatch launches at $225 with 21-day battery life

Core Devices, the company founded by Eric Migicovsky, has officially released the Pebble Time 2 smartwatch at a price of $225. The device is positioned as a casual alternative to high-end competitors, emphasising a playful, hacker-driven spirit over premium hardware specifications. According to reporting from TechCrunch, the watch is designed to feel less like a mini-computer and more like a functional, retro-inspired accessory.

The hardware distinguishes itself through a 64-colour e-paper display with RGB LED backlighting, which remains always on but can be illuminated via a wrist flick or tap. This display technology allows for approximately 21 days of battery life on a single charge, a significant advantage over typical OLED-based smartwatches. The device also features four physical buttons that users can customise to launch specific applications, alongside a 30-metre water resistance rating suitable for rain and handwashing, though not for swimming.

Software remains the core differentiator for the brand. The watch runs on an open-source operating system, a move that allowed Migicovsky to reboot the Pebble brand under Core Devices after convincing Google to release the original code in 2025. This open architecture supports a vibrant developer community that has created over 2,120 watch faces and apps, including more than 500 new entries from a recent spring developer contest. The ecosystem includes basic health tracking features such as step counting, sleep tracking, and heart rate monitoring, as well as niche utilities and games.

The revival of the brand follows a complex history. The original Pebble began as a Kickstarter project, was acquired by Fitbit via Google, and sold two million units before the company shut down. After Fitbit ceased support in mid-2018, the user community maintained the watch’s servers and app store until 2025. Core Devices has since shipped a limited-edition Pebble 2 Duo and has now sold more than 25,000 units of the Pebble Time 2 across 93 countries.

Despite its smaller user base compared to rivals like the Apple Watch, the Pebble ecosystem offers a diverse range of applications, from stock trackers and weather tools to AI-powered chatbots. The watch mirrors phone notifications and allows users to control music and set alarms, although iOS compatibility is limited by Apple’s rules, which restrict certain features like automatic alarm syncing.

Looking ahead, Core Devices is expected to ship a follow-up model, the Pebble Round 2, in September 2026. The company continues to update its firmware and companion mobile app, with plans to add further features such as noise cancellation via a second microphone.