“We’ve found a new framework to use as an interaction model on the watch……It doesn’t look like what we have today, and it doesn’t look like what’s on your smartphone”
Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky commenting on the Pebble shipping its one millionth Pebble on December 31st 2014
The War for your Wrist in on, dear reader!
Pebble has announced that they’ve sold more than 1 million of their popular Pebble smartwatches, which consists of two (2) variants:
- US$99 Pebble smartwatch
- US$199 Pebble Steel smartwatch
Both smartwatches, compatible with Google Android and Apple iOS, are the same under the hood, offering Fitness and sleep tracking features as well as access to a suite of 6,000 apps and watchfaces on their Pebble store. With some 25,000 developers contributing worldwide, this smartwatch which was kickstarted successfully back in April 2012 is still growing strong three (3) years later.
Pebble, in keeping with their Kickstarter Roots, even released a limited edition series of smartwatch bands with bright vivid colours as per my article Pebble gets new limited edition Fresh, Hot and Fly colors for the Spy Kids in your life that seemed more line with Teenage pop culture than a product for adults.
Making products is still all about your customer base and if the demand says bright and neon colours are in demand, then pop, crackle and snap you must do. In so doing, Pebble is expanding their Kickstarter support base from 400,000 in March 2015 to a dedicated community of Developers and users that love the produce and are proud to be a part of its success.
Pebble and the Competition – Google Android Wear skippin’ stone on massive Wearables Market
With smartphone notification begin the standard to be called smart, the seven (7) day battery life, albeit paltry, is at least tolerable and will get you though a busy week. The Pebble Steel Steps it up a notch with the same feature plus a Gorilla glass display and a Stainless Steel body as described in my article US$249 Pebble Steel rocks James Bond Playboy joie de vivre on your Wrist.
James Bond Style is guaranteed is you decided to jump for the opportunity to make it an all steel ensemble with the purchase of an optional US$20 Steel Band. Now with a Million Served and the competition from Motorola, Samsung, LG, Sony and Asus smartwatches running Google Android Wear OS like the LG G Watch R smartwatch as noted in LG’s G Watch R smartwatch by the end of October in time for Christmas 2014.
But so far, in 2015, all I’ve heard is rumours of companies making smartwatches and fitness Trackers. The few that make a product seem to be testing the waters such US$199 Microsoft Band Fitness Tracker that they launched in October 2014. Clearly there’s not much interest in developing a new Wearable market, with most smartwatch developers waiting on Apple to take the lead with the Apple Watch in April 2015 and then they’d follow in her wake.
For now, Google Android Wear OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturers) seems to be skippin’ stone on the massive Wearables Market. Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky wouldn’t release hardware and software plans, imploring his legion of followers to wait till later in 2015, the Year of the Sheep, when they plan to release a new line of products, including smartwatches with more improved features.
Now with 1 million served, Pebble is posting McDonald’s Numbers as it gears up for a Battle Royale against the Juggernaut in the form of Google Android Wear and the White Knight aka Apple Watch packin’ the heat in April 2015!
The War for your wrist just got “tun’ up” up a Notch in 2015!