by Remember the Pebble? That plucky little smartwatch that dared to exist before Apple convinced everyone they needed a tiny phone strapped to their wrist? Well, dust off those fond memories because Eric Migicovsky, the original Pebble mastermind, is back with a vengeance.
His new company, Core Devices, is resurrecting everything we loved about those quirky e-paper timepieces—and this time, they might actually outlast your smartphone’s battery. Imagine that! A watch that doesn’t need babysitting on a charger every night like some needy electronic pet.
The Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 won’t bear the Pebble name (thanks a lot, Google’s legal department), but make no mistake—these are spiritual Pebbles through and through.
Both watches run the newly open-sourced PebbleOS, support the existing library of over 10,000 Pebble apps and watch faces, and maintain the delightfully minimalist aesthetic that made tech nerds swoon a decade ago.
Migicovsky has somehow managed to stretch battery life from a respectable 7 days to an absolutely bonkers 30 days between charges. That’s right—you could literally forget your charger for an entire month and still know what time it is. It’s a revolutionary concept for a watch, I know.
For the Pebble faithful who’ve been nursing their aging devices like vintage cars, these watches are the answer to years of prayers, forum posts, and probably a few tearful nights clutching their deteriorating original models.
When Fitbit acquired Pebble’s assets in 2016 (later handed off to Google like a digital hot potato), many feared the unique approach to smartwatches would vanish forever.
The Pebble community—arguably the most dedicated group of tech enthusiasts this side of Linux users—kept the flame alive by maintaining web services for existing watches. Now, Migicovsky’s return feels like the tech equivalent of a beloved band getting back together for one more tour—except this time, and they remembered to bring extra batteries.
Core 2 Duo: The Accessible Entry Point
The first watch hitting the market is the Core 2 Duo, priced at $149 and shipping this July. The name is a cheeky nod to both its heritage and purpose—essentially a “do-over” of the Pebble 2, though thankfully not named after an obsolete computer processor.
In perhaps the most delightful bit of hardware archaeology, Migicovsky actually tracked down unused Pebble 2 frames from a supplier who still had them gathering dust in some warehouse. These watches incorporate actual frames intended for Pebbles that never materialized after the company shuttered operations. It’s like finding unused movie props and deciding to film the sequel everyone wanted but never got.
The Core 2 Duo features a 1.26-inch black-and-white e-paper display that remains perfectly readable in direct sunlight, unlike those fancy OLED screens that turn into expensive mirrors the moment you step outdoors.
Four physical buttons provide navigation through the interface—because nothing says “I’m actually trying to use my device” quite like the satisfying click of a real button.
This approach stands in refreshing contrast to the modern smartwatch philosophy of “swipe frantically at a tiny screen while walking and hope for the best.” The polycarbonate frame comes in classic black or white options, maintaining that distinctive aesthetic that says, “Yes, I prioritize function over fashion, and I’m not afraid to admit it.”
While the Core 2 Duo looks like it time-traveled from 2016, its internals have received significant upgrades. Battery life has leaped from 7 days to 30 days on a single charge—a feat accomplished largely through advances in Bluetooth chip efficiency and probably some kind of dark magic.
The watch features a new linear resonant actuator providing stronger yet quieter vibration alerts, so you’ll actually feel your notifications without alerting everyone within a three-seat radius on the subway. Additional sensors include a barometer and compass, expanding its capabilities for outdoor activities or impressing friends with your ability to predict rain.
The Core 2 Duo adds a speaker—opening possibilities for voice interactions and the ability to annoy people in meetings with unexpected beeps and boops. Basic health tracking features include step counting and sleep monitoring, though Migicovsky clarifies these watches aim for different goals than dedicated fitness trackers.
They won’t shame you about your heart rate during that third donut, but they’ll excel at showing notifications, setting timers, controlling music, and running lightweight apps that actually enhance your day instead of complicating it. Standard 22mm watch straps ensure compatibility with countless third-party options because nothing says “personalization,” like being able to swap in that Star Trek-themed band you bought on Etsy.
Core Time 2: The Premium Experience
For the patient souls willing to wait until December and part with $225, the Core Time 2 represents what Migicovsky describes as his “dream watch.” This premium offering brings several notable upgrades while maintaining the core philosophy that made Pebble special.
The display sees the most significant change—a larger 1.5-inch screen supporting 64 colors rather than just black and white. It’s not quite OLED territory, but then again, you won’t need to remortgage your house to replace it when the battery inevitably fails in 18 months.
The Core Time 2 upgrades from plastic to aluminum for its frame, creating a more sophisticated aesthetic for those important business meetings where you secretly just want to check your Pokémon GO notifications. Heart rate monitoring capabilities provide more comprehensive health tracking options, though it still won’t judge you for taking the elevator instead of the stairs.
The four physical buttons remain, preserving that crucial tactile navigation experience, with the addition of touchscreen functionality—breaking new ground for Pebble-style devices while maintaining a healthy respect for fingers too large for precision tapping.
Migicovsky’s approach to touchscreen implementation shows remarkable restraint when companies add features just to pad spec sheets. He avoids completely redesigning the interface around touch (which would create what he calls a “phone on your wrist”—as if we needed another screen demanding our attention).
Instead, he integrates touch capabilities selectively, primarily for tapping on complications—those tiny information widgets that transform your watch face from merely telling time to actively judging how few steps you’ve taken today.
This balanced approach honors what users loved about Pebble while acknowledging that occasionally, just occasionally, touching your screen might be more intuitive than clicking a button seventeen times.
Both watches will connect with a new companion app for Android and iOS currently in development. Developers gain access to an updated SDK for creating new apps and watch faces, with firmware source code available for those wanting to create entirely new operating systems—because nothing says “relaxing hobby” quite like reprogramming your wristwatch from scratch on weekends.
Limited Availability By Design
Core Devices intentionally keeps production limited, with only about 10,000 units of each model planned initially. This isn’t just clever marketing to create artificial scarcity (though it certainly doesn’t hurt)—it reflects Migicovsky’s measured approach to building a sustainable business after learning some hard lessons the first time around.
“We’re taking small risks, doing a couple of products one at a time,” he explains, in what might be the most un-Silicon Valley business strategy ever uttered. No promises of disrupting the entire wearable industry or becoming a unicorn startup by Tuesday—just making good watches for people who want them. Revolutionary!
This limited production run means interested buyers should act quickly. Pre-orders opened today exclusively through the rePebble store, with no plans for retail distribution or flashy Apple-style keynote events.
Migicovsky recommends securing a pre-order now, noting that customers can cancel for a full refund before shipping begins—a consumer-friendly policy that hasn’t been outlawed by corporate lawyers yet. The Core 2 Duo ships in July, while the Core Time 2 arrives in December, just in time to disappoint your family by talking about your cool new e-paper watch during holiday dinner.
The smartwatch market has changed dramatically since Pebble’s heyday. Apple and Garmin now dominate with health-focused devices that track everything from your steps to your sleep quality to how disappointed your watch is in your lifestyle choices.
Core Devices offers something refreshingly different—straightforward smartwatches with exceptional battery life, physical controls that work with gloves or wet hands, and customizable software that doesn’t require a computer science degree to navigate.
Migicovsky makes no apologies for targeting a specific audience. “This watch is for people who don’t feel their needs are met by the status quo,” he says, which might be the most polite way possible of saying “for people who think modern smartwatches are overcomplicated battery-draining monstrosities.”
Why Battery Life Matters
The 30-day battery life achievement deserves special attention in an era where “all-day battery” has somehow become an acceptable marketing claim for devices that cost hundreds of dollars.
Modern smartwatches typically require charging every 1-2 days, creating a co-dependent relationship with yet another charging cable to lose behind your nightstand. The Core watches liberate users from this technological codependency.
Imagine traveling for weeks without packing another proprietary charger. Picture forgetting about battery levels entirely, checking them monthly rather than hourly with increasing panic as you search for an outlet during dinner.
Migicovsky achieved this battery longevity through several clever engineering decisions and by simply acknowledging that perhaps, just perhaps, we don’t need our watches to replace our phones entirely. The e-paper display consumes power only when changing, unlike power-hungry OLED screens that drain batteries faster than a teenager drains the refrigerator.
Modern Bluetooth chips operate far more efficiently than those available when Pebble launched. The focused feature set eliminates unnecessary power drains like animated wallpapers or heart rate checks every 3.7 seconds.
Together, these choices create a watch that stays on your wrist rather than on a charger, which—call me crazy—seems like an important quality for a watch.
The Return of Physical Buttons
The commitment to physical buttons represents another delightful contrarian choice worth celebrating. Touch interfaces work wonderfully for many devices, yet buttons offer distinct advantages for wearables that the industry seems determined to ignore in its quest for sleek, featureless surfaces.
You can control a watch without looking at it—changing music tracks while running, dismissing notifications during meetings, or setting timers while cooking with messy hands. The tactile feedback provides confirmation without visual attention, unlike touchscreens that leave you wondering if your tap registered or if the device is just ignoring you out of spite.
Buttons work with gloves, in rain, and in other conditions that challenge touchscreens—like in the real world, where humans actually live.
Core Devices doesn’t abandon touch completely. The Core Time 2 incorporates touchscreen capabilities where they make sense—primarily for interacting with complications on the watch face. This balanced approach gives users the best of both interaction models without forcing them to smudge their screens every time they want to check the weather.
A Sustainable Approach to Technology
Perhaps most refreshing about Core Devices’ approach is its focus on sustainability in an industry obsessed with annual upgrade cycles.
Rather than pushing consumers toward replacing perfectly functional devices every 12 months, Migicovsky designs products meant to last. The 30-day battery life reduces charging cycles, extending overall battery lifespan.
The open-source software ensures community support can continue even if the company someday disappears—a refreshingly honest acknowledgment of startup mortality rates. The limited production runs prevent excess inventory and waste, while also creating a sense of exclusivity that will make owners insufferably smug at tech gatherings.
“I’m intentionally trying to build something that’s sustainable, rather than a fast-growing do-or-die company,” Migicovsky explains, in what sounds suspiciously like someone who’s learned from experience.
This philosophy stands in stark contrast to the planned obsolescence pervading much of consumer technology, where devices seem designed to fail spectacularly the day after their warranty expires.
Core Devices offers an alternative vision—technology that serves users for years rather than months, improving through software rather than hardware replacement cycles. What a concept!
For Pebble fans who’ve kept their aging watches running through community efforts, these new devices offer a chance to experience that same philosophy with modern hardware that won’t require electrical tape and prayers to keep functioning.
For everyone else, they present an intriguing alternative to mainstream smartwatches—devices that prioritize battery life, simplicity, and user control over increasingly complex features you’ll never use.
The watches may appeal to a niche audience, but that audience has waited years for exactly this announcement, probably while charging their Apple Watches for the second time today.
Pre-orders for both the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 are available now through the rePebble store. With limited quantities available, interested buyers should move quickly to secure their place in line for these unique timepieces.
Or you could wait for the next shiny smartwatch that promises to change your life but needs charging twice daily. Your choice!