Smartwatch – Pebble was one of the first smartwatch devices from a start-up company that got into the wearable business early on. Since then Pebble has become a smartwatch made for the technology enthusiast. At a recent developer retreat, CEO Eric Migicovsky spilled some of the beans about his company’s development.
Migicovsky mentioned that the company has sold 250,000 units in the past two years. While the focus is now on adding apps for the device, he said that there are still a few devices in the market for each available app. If we assume the 3:1 or 4:1 ratio that he mentioned, the total number of apps is around 60,000 to 80,000. He also menti0ned that 18,000 app developers are working on apps for the Pebble device.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Migicovsky stated that Pebble will not try to compete with Apple Watch on design features, but that the device will continue to focus on functionality. He also said that his goal is to make the smartwatch cost effective. Since the Pebble is offered for as low as $99, the last part of the company’s goal is pretty much covered. Pebble is not the only one to offer a sub-$100 smartwatch, but the company has a clear vision of making its device a long-term, usable watch for the user.
Pebble sees the most important functions in notifications and fitness/sports. And while its design is more inspired by the early Seiko computer watches than a fashion piece, it follows the idea of function before form. The large display and size allows for a more computer-like functionality. Pebble thinks that Apple is aiming at the high-end market (actually a logical choice for Apple) while Google is going small with a tiny smartwatch. Pebble is trying to create value for the user as an extension of the smartphone, a very common approach lately.
The company just released a new firmware update and iOS app to stay current with its products. –Norbert Hildebrand
