Google opens door for Pebble smartwatch revival, original creator jumps in

The beloved Pebble smartwatch is making a comeback, and we have to thank for that, and founder Eric Migicovsky, who floated the idea of open-sourcing the watch's software, which Google did on Monday. Now, Migicovsky, who recently sold his all-in-one texting app, is working on creating a spiritual successor to the Pebble.

Migicovsky, who sold Pebble to Fitbit in 2016 (which was later acquired by Google), plans to build a new smartwatch that stays true to Pebble's roots.

"I've tried literally everything else, and nothing else comes close," he writes in his blogpost. “No one makes a smartwatch with the core set of features I want.” So, that’s is why he’s back at it.

The new watch will feature Pebble's hallmark characteristics, the one’s Migicovsky want. That includes an always-on e-paper screen, long battery life, physical buttons for music control, and hackability for custom watch faces. Migicovsky aims to keep things simple, focusing on core features like notifications, weather updates, and basic fitness tracking.