Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 21
Core Devices Sells 25,000 Pebble Time 2 Watches in 93 Countries After Google Open-Sources OS
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 21

Core Devices Sells 25,000 Pebble Time 2 Watches in 93 Countries After Google Open-Sources OS

2 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Aug 21

Summary

  • Core Devices has sold more than 25,000 Pebble Time 2 smartwatches across 93 countries, marking the latest step in Pebble’s revival under founder Eric Migicovsky.
  • Google’s 2025 decision to open-source the original Pebble operating system enabled Migicovsky and former Pebble staffers to restart the platform through Core Devices.
  • The $225 watch leans on Pebble’s old formula—an always-on 64-color e-paper display, physical buttons and roughly 21 days of battery life—rather than competing directly with Apple Watch hardware.
  • More than 2,120 watch faces and apps already ship with the ecosystem, including over 500 new entries from a spring developer contest, underscoring how much the reboot depends on its developer community.
  • Core Devices has already shipped a limited-edition Pebble 2 Duo and expects its third model, the Pebble Round 2, to begin shipping in September.

Insights

Why are thousands abandoning polished Apple Watches for a retro e-paper smartwatch that openly admits to cracked screens and hardware flaws?
As Google's open-source gift revives a dead brand, will DIY repairs and radical transparency redefine how we consume wearable tech?