New Pebble Smartwatch with Color Screen Coming Next Week

Pebble gets ready to battle the Apple Watch with a new thinner smartwatch with color screen.

Pebble is one of the pioneers of the modern era of smartwatches. They started out as a highly successful Kickstarter project and have been able to withstand the rise of Android smartwatches. Pebble has now launched a countdown on their site teasing a new Pebble Smartwatch.

Update: Pebble Chromeo Color Smartwatch leaks.

The countdown stands as of writing this story at 4 days and 7 hours. This means the new Pebble smartwatch will be released on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 10am ET.

The current Pebble Watch sells for $99 and steel model sells for $199. The functionality of the Pebble Watch is focused on notifications and as companion device for apps on iPhones and Android smartphones. The current model features a monochrome epaper display enabling a 7-day batter life. This might now change in the new Pebble Watch that comes next week.

Sources of 9to5Mac say that the new Pebble Watch will have a color screen and will be thinner. The display type will still be ePaper. The new Pebble is also said to have a wider screen and that will be brighter than the current one. Adding a color screen is essential to keep up with other smartwatches including the Apple Watch. Pebble is supposed to keep the long battery life of 7 days even with the new color screen. 

The new Pebble Watch is also supposed to feature a microphone enabling voice control.

In our opinion Pebble will have to face a direct new competitor. We see the Swatch smartwatch a big threat for Pebble. The Apple Watch is in a different smartwatch segment, but te Swatch smartwatch appears to go into the direction of what the Pebble Watch offers. Everything that Swatch said so far about their smartwatch matches the Pebble Watch. 

The Swatch CEO said that their first smartwatch would be internet connected and you don’t have to recharge. The bold statement likely translates into charging once a week like the Pebble Watch. Swatch has the capability to make affordable and very stylish smartwatches. The Pebble Watch design is going to be no match.