We're bringing Pebble back

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Google has open-sourced the Pebble smartwatch operating system, enabling the original founder to launch “RePebble” and explore building new hardware that revives Pebble’s minimalist, long-battery, button-driven design. Commenters contrast Pebble’s UX and always-on reflective display with today’s Apple, Garmin and Fitbit devices, repeatedly emphasizing battery life, physical controls, hackability, and ownership over cloud‑locked ecosystems. Many express excitement but also caution, citing the original company’s shutdown, and call for open-source apps, self-hostable services, and thoughtful choices around fitness tracking, sensors, and pricing.

Overall reaction

  • Many commenters are intensely excited and nostalgic; several still daily‑drive original Pebbles, have multiple units, or kept one “waiting for this day.”
  • Others are openly wary: they felt “rug‑pulled” when Pebble shut down and/or Kickstarter devices never shipped, and say they won’t pre‑order or crowdfund again without strong assurances.

Why people loved Pebble

  • Core virtues repeatedly cited:
    • Always‑on reflective/MIP display that’s sunlight‑readable with long battery life (5–10+ days).
    • Physical buttons that work without looking, with gloves, in the shower, and while biking or swimming.
    • Simple, coherent, non‑touch UI (timeline for calendar, easy media controls, quick alarms/timers).
    • A playful, “soulful” UX with great animations and little flourishes.
    • Hackability: C SDK, CloudPebble, JS companions, watchface generators, vibrant hobbyist ecosystem.
  • Many see Pebble as correctly designed as a “phone extension,” not a tiny phone on your wrist.

Skepticism and trust

  • People burned by the shutdown, bricked devices, and the canceled Time 2/Core stress “fool me once…” and want:
    • No VC‑driven growth at all costs.
    • A sustainable business with realistic pricing and modest ambitions.
  • Some distrust Google but also praise it for open‑sourcing PebbleOS instead of letting it rot.
  • A few complain the repo doesn’t compile; others explain missing pieces are third‑party proprietary components (BT stack, vendor libs).

Comparisons to other wearables

  • Garmin: closest in spirit (MIP displays, buttons, long battery, strong fitness), but widely criticized for clunky, inconsistent UX, confusing menus, proprietary charging, and cloud‑dependent app. SDK viewed as limited and sandboxed.
  • Apple Watch: praised for health and swim tracking, payments, and OS integration; criticized for short battery life, touch‑heavy UI, and “soulless,” locked‑down feel.
  • Other mentions: Amazfit, Fitbit, Withings/Fossil hybrids, Bangle.js, PineTime, SensorWatch, Casio/Timex, Oura. None are seen as hitting the same UX + openness + battery niche.

What people want from a new Pebble

  • Broad agreement:
    • Keep reflective/always‑on display, long battery, buttons, and simple UX.
    • Maintain or modernize the Timeline‑style calendar and great notification/media controls.
    • Robust, repairable hardware; nicer designs including a Round‑style option; ideally user‑replaceable battery.
  • Divided wishes:
    • Some want solid health/fitness sensors (HR, SpO2, GPS, sleep, swim tracking, fall detection).
    • Others explicitly want to avoid fitness bloat and preserve thin, light, “just a tool” design.
    • Contactless payments and LTE/eSIM are highly desired by some, seen as overkill or unrealistic by others.

Openness, ecosystem, and privacy

  • Strong calls for:
    • Keeping PebbleOS open, publishing companion apps, and ideally making cloud services self‑hostable (no forced subscriptions).
    • Good Linux/Android integration and compatibility with Gadgetbridge/Home Assistant.
  • Rebble is widely praised for keeping old devices alive; people want the new effort to embrace that ethos.

Site / messaging

  • The opening animation and the playful “No” redirect (Apple/Pixel watch) are widely enjoyed.
  • Some feel sending people to an Apple Watch is a bit salty toward Google; others find it perfectly on‑brand humor.