The resurgence of Pebble presents an opportunity to reboot the smartwatch industry. Eric Migicovsky, the mastermind behind Pebble’s minimalist e-paper wearable, has unveiled a new device that bears a striking resemblance to the iconic smartwatch brand, as seen in the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2. The first glimpse of Migicovsky’s revived wearable shows promise, not due to any groundbreaking features that set it apart from the typical Apple Watch, but because of its unique character in today’s market.

The standard array of smartwatches from Google, Samsung, and Apple has failed to genuinely excite us. Samsung and Apple are engaged in a competition to integrate as many health sensors as possible into their devices, and the most we can anticipate from the upcoming Apple Watch Series 11 is a slimmer design and a slightly improved display. The Core 2 Duo, in its current iteration, is essentially the same device as a Pebble 2 but with a few tweaks, featuring a relatively small 1.2-inch display and, notably, no touchscreen, controlled instead by buttons. The Core 2 Duo boasts a black and white screen, while the $225 Core Time 2 comes with a 1.5-inch color touchscreen display and a heart rate monitor.

In a recent video, Migicovsky provided insight into the smartwatch itself and discussed the expected pricing for U.S. customers, taking into account Trump tariffs. He confirmed that the Core 2 Duo is manufactured in China, but the company plans to bulk ship devices to the U.S. to mitigate the impact of the 27.5% tariffs on smartwatches by absorbing the cost at the factory level. The shipping cost of smartwatches may increase by $10 to $25, he stated. However, things could change, and there’s a possibility that prices might be affected once President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on worldwide tariffs, excluding China, comes to an end. The scheduled ship date remains unchanged, set for July this year.

Upgrades are forthcoming. Migicovsky expressed his desire to integrate complications, or small widgets that display the time or provide app alerts, alongside deeper Beeper integration for a unified chat experience. He also mentioned the possibility of incorporating an AI companion, citing the app Bob.ai, which leverages Google’s Gemini AI model to provide quick answers to simple queries. The developer has already hinted at the potential for users to interact with ChatGPT via a built-in microphone, and the new smartwatches will feature a speaker for ChatGPT to respond.

The Core 2 Duo is expected to retail for $150, a relatively modest price compared to the $400 MSRP of the Apple Watch Series 9 or Series 10. However, considering how frequently these devices go on sale just a few months after release, Pebble will face competition from Apple and other prominent brands. This raises the question: is there a market for these lower-powered, less health-focused smartwatches?

The success of Core Devices may depend on whether it can capitalize on nostalgia for the Pebble ecosystem. Nothing, a company founded by OnePlus alum Carl Pei, has managed to capture a significant share of the Android phone market by producing eye-catching transparent phones. Nothing’s CMF budget sub-brand is creating interesting alternatives, such as the new Phone 2 Pro, to Pixel or Galaxy devices.

Migicovsky, who maintains a lower profile than Pei, is not relying on flashy marketing gimmicks to attract customers to his alternative smartwatch. Instead, he’s counting on fan loyalty and word-of-mouth to build a brand that emphasizes simplicity over advanced smart features. The Pebble founder confessed that he enjoys smartwatches for their ability to provide easy access to notifications. “It’s fun,” he said, before showcasing a watch face featuring an octopus holding an ice cream cone. “I love having a device that brings me joy.”