The $225 Pebble Time 2 brings the smartwatch brand back with a color e-paper display, physical buttons, up to 21 days of battery life, and a software ecosystem shaped heavily by its developer community. Built by Core Devices, the company founded by original Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky, the watch favors a simpler experience over the touchscreen-heavy approach used by products such as the Apple Watch.
Pebble Time 2 uses a 64-color always-on e-paper screen that can be illuminated by an RGB backlight. Buyers can choose blue, red, silver, or black finishes around a stainless steel frame, paired with a silicone strap.
Pebble Returns After Its Community Kept the Platform Alive
Pebble originally started as a Kickstarter project and sold about 2 million watches, generating $230 million in sales before the original company shut down. Fitbit acquired its assets, later becoming part of Google, while the Pebble user community kept services running after Fitbit stopped supporting the original platform in 2018.
In 2025, Google open-sourced PebbleOS, allowing Migicovsky and former Pebble contributors to build new hardware through Core Devices.
Core Devices has since shipped a limited-edition Pebble 2 Duo and sold more than 25,000 Pebble Time 2 watches across 93 countries. Its third device, Pebble Round 2, is expected to begin shipping in September.
More Than 2,120 Watch Faces and Apps Are Available
Pebble Time 2 currently supports more than 2,120 apps and watch faces built by developers, including over 500 entries created during a spring developer competition.
Watch faces range from basic analog and digital layouts to pixel displays, animated characters, memes, and designs inspired by classic games. Users manage them through the Pebble companion app.
The app store also includes timers, weather tools, Spotify controls, navigation, calendars, stock trackers, health apps, Strava integration, medication reminders, and games. More experimental software includes AI assistants, vibration-based clocks, virtual pets, and apps designed for highly specific tasks.
The Watch Covers Basic Health and Notification Features
Even without additional apps, Pebble Time 2 mirrors phone notifications and includes music controls, alarms, timers, step tracking, sleep monitoring, and heart-rate tracking.
Its timeline feature lets users scroll through upcoming and previous calendar events, reminders, weather information, and data supplied by compatible apps.
The watch uses four physical buttons for navigation, and users can assign shortcuts to launch specific apps with a tap or long press. Migicovsky outlined additional hardware details in his Pebble Time 2 announcement.
Pebble Time 2 has 30-meter, or 3 ATM, water resistance, making it suitable for rain and everyday splashes but not swimming or diving.
iPhone Restrictions Limit Some Functions
Some features remain restricted when Pebble Time 2 is paired with an iPhone. Apple’s platform rules prevent the watch from performing actions such as responding directly to messages or fully interacting with some iOS notifications and apps.
Daily alarms also do not automatically synchronize from an iPhone and must be configured on the watch itself.
Core Devices continues to release firmware and companion app updates every few weeks. Planned improvements include additional APIs and enabling the watch’s second microphone for noise cancellation.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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