An older watch model than the Apple Watch is about to be 'revived'.

Pebble, the first commercially successful smartwatch line, is set to return under a new name after being discontinued nine years ago.

Core Time 2 (left) and Core 2 Duo. Photo: Core Devices .

After years of absence, the Pebble smartwatch has officially returned with a new name. Founder Eric Migicovsky created the company Core Devices, launching two Core devices based on Pebble hardware: the Core Time 2 and the Core 2 Duo.

Beyond just the design, the Core uses the open-source PebbleOS operating system, retaining all the old features. The cheaper version (Core 2 Duo) even reuses Pebble components.

"I'm not trying to sell this product to everyone. It's for people who are dissatisfied with the Apple Watch, Pixel Watch, or Garmin," Migicovsky emphasized.

Founded in 2008, Pebble was one of the pioneering companies in the smartwatch market with its minimalist, classic-style models. In 2016, Pebble was discontinued and acquired by Fitbit. In 2021, Google acquired Fitbit.

The first device in the new product line is called the Core 2 Duo, and it's expected to hit shelves in July for $150 . As the name suggests, Migicovsky says the product is identical to the Pebble 2 but better, with "Duo" standing for "do-over".

The Core 2 Duo features a 1.26-inch monochrome e-paper display and reuses the plastic frame of the Pebble 2. According to the founder, a supplier still has unproduced frames from the Pebble Time 2 and Pebble 2 in stock.

The Core Time 2 and Core 2 Duo reuse PebbleOS, a design similar to Pebble. Image: Core Devices .

Launched nine years after the Pebble 2, the Core 2 Duo boasts several upgrades, including longer battery life (30 days instead of 7 days), primarily thanks to increasingly energy-efficient Bluetooth chips. According to The Verge , the device also features an external speaker and microphone for interacting with AI assistants, and adds chips for tracking steps and sleep.

Migicovsky estimates that around 10,000 Core 2 Duo units will be shipped, mostly to programmers and loyal Pebble fans.

The next model, called Core Time 2, is expected to hit shelves in December for $225 . The major change is the 1.5-inch touchscreen (supporting 64 colors), allowing interaction with the watch face components via touch gestures.

"It would be great to just touch your watch, instead of fumbling through layers of menus and buttons," Migicovsky shared.

According to Bloomberg , the Core Time 2 retains the familiar design of the Pebble smartwatch with buttons on both sides. The battery life has been increased to 30 days, and it includes an external speaker, a step and sleep tracking chip, and a heart rate sensor. The watch case is made of metal instead of plastic.

Both the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 support IPX8 water resistance, receive notifications from smartphones, calendar appointments, and control music. The duo uses the PebbleOS operating system, integrating over 10,000 apps and watch faces.

The process of assembling and testing PebbleOS on Core. Photo: Core Devices .

The two products were launched after Google released the PebbleOS source code on GitHub in January. According to Migicovsky, this was a crucial factor because without it, developing a new operating system would be very difficult.

According to Migicovsky, the process of integrating the new hardware into PebbleOS software is going quite smoothly, but there are still limitations when connecting to iPhones.

Some features are limited when using Core smartwatches on iOS, such as replying to iMessages, responding to notifications, and being unable to access the internet if connected apps on the iPhone are closed. App Store release policies also make frequent app updates difficult.

The founder noted that the launch schedule for the Core smartwatch might be delayed, and that tariff policies risk increasing product prices. However, Migicovsky insisted that he founded the company out of passion, not to sell millions of watches.