At first glance, it may resemble a Pebble, and its functionality is similar to a Pebble, but it’s not actually a Pebble. Eric Migicovsky, the founder of the original Pebble smartwatch, has recently introduced two new smartwatches, namely the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2. These spiritual successors to the Pebble smartwatches are now available for pre-order, priced at $149 and $225, respectively.

For those unfamiliar with Pebble, it was a pioneering company based in Palo Alto that achieved significant success through the Kickstarter crowdfunding platform back in 2012. Pebble created smartwatches before the emergence of the Apple Watch and Android-based smartwatches.

Although Pebble managed to sell over two million devices, the company abruptly closed down in 2016. Following an insolvency process, the remaining assets of the company were acquired by its rival, Fitbit.

Fast-forwarding to 2024, Migicovsky had a bold vision. What if it were possible to revert to simpler times and simpler tech devices? What if it were possible to revive the Pebble smartwatches?

Interestingly, Google has been supportive of this endeavor, as the tech giant is open-sourcing PebbleOS, the operating system that powered the original Pebble smartwatches.

It turns out that Google acquired Fitbit a few years after Fitbit acquired Pebble’s assets. However, Pebble’s intellectual property wasn’t of significant value to Google, so the company decided to return it to the community of Pebble enthusiasts.

Now, Core Devices, Migicovsky’s new company, is unveiling two new smartwatches that will run PebbleOS. The Core 2 Duo is essentially a revamped Pebble 2, running the original Pebble software.

It features an always-on E Ink display with several buttons on the side of the device. Compared to 2025 smartwatches, it’s a relatively basic watch. The E Ink display is a non-touch, black-and-white display. Nevertheless, the smartwatch supports alarms and timers, which is quite impressive.

It pairs with your phone via Bluetooth, enabling it to display notifications and connect to the internet. You can also control the music on your phone using this Bluetooth connection.

However, the two aspects that set the Pebble apart from its successors are still relevant today. Firstly, the battery life is exceptional, with the company promising up to 30 days of battery life. Secondly, it’s a fun, hackable device, with thousands of watchfaces available and the ability to create small apps for the device easily.

“This project is a labor of love rather than a startup attempting to sell millions of watches. There may be some rough edges, and things could get delayed. Some features might not be ready at launch, and things could break or not last as long as you’d like,” Migicovsky wrote.

“The only thing we can guarantee is that it will be awesome and a lot of fun! Every time you look down at your watch, you will smile,” he added.

The other smartwatch announced today, the Core Time 2, shares the same specifications as the Core 2 Duo but features a larger 64-color display in a metal casing. It’s also a touch display, although Pebble apps don’t support touch interactions for now.

Migicovsky stated that shipments for the Core 2 Duo are expected to begin in July, while the Core Time 2 will take longer to produce, with availability expected in December.