Pebble founder already ported PebbleOS to new hardware

Remember Pebble? It was a smartwatch that stood out for its simplicity by focusing on offering useful core features instead of a complex set of options. Its battery also lasted a long time, thanks in part to its e-paper display that gave it excellent visibility under the sun. Well, it seems that Pebble’s founder is working on a potential comeback of the smartwatch and has already managed to run PebbleOS on new hardware.

Google bought Pebble in 2016, probably looking for experienced people in the segment to work on Fitbit devices and what would be the future Pixel Watches. Almost a decade later, the Mountain View giant is making PebbleOS open source. This allows anyone to use the software to integrate it into a watch. However, since PebbleOS was developed for very specific (and old at this point) hardware, it needs some porting work.

Pebble founder compiles and runs open-source PebbleOS on new hardware; a major step

That’s what Eric Migicovsky, founder of the original Pebble, has been doing. Migicovsky launched the rePebble project to try and revive the smartwatch that won so many hearts. He promised that he would make it possible to run PebbleOS on different components, and he’s already done just that.

In a recent blog update, the Pebble founder said that his new team “already got PebbleOS compiling and running on real hardware.” The development team works for Core Devices LLC, Migicovsky’s new company. He showed an image of the OS running on a test motherboard. The test platform also has a small, monochrome display.

Regarding the hardware, he said that “it’s going to be a Pebble and almost exactly as you remember it, except now with open source software that you can modify and improve yourself.” So, don’t expect powerful tech specs or a smartwatch packed with complex features. This project is meant for those who miss the spirit of ​​the original Pebble.

Now the company is looking for more components to build the new Pebble

The company’s next step will be to figure out what other components to use to produce the watch. Next week, Migicovsky will travel to China to meet with hardware suppliers. “If enough people are interested, we’ll build it,” says the creator of the original Pebble.

If it goes ahead, it will be very interesting to see how the market reacts to a new Pebble. The current industry is full of feature-packed alternatives, but with poor battery life. A Pebble smartwatch could stand out in aspects such as screen visibility (thanks to an e-paper display) and battery. The price tag will surely be another fundamental factor.

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