Summary
- The creator of Pebble, Eric Migicovsky, has publicly demoed the Core 2 Duo model, still in development.
- The Core Devices team is working on software issues like displaying time, and is finalizing hardware drivers for the Core 2 Duo smartwatch.
- Core 2 Duo’s physical design appears ready, inspired by Pebble 2, with plans for model release in July 2025.
As powerful as modern smartwatches have gotten, some people still yearn for the simpler times when the Pebble range of smartwatches was around. So it was a nice surprise to see that the creator of Pebble is bringing them back. And just in case you were doubting whether it was a real product, here’s a demo to soothe your nerves.
Eric Migicovsky, the entrepreneur known for creating the original Pebble smartwatch, has offered fresh insights into his latest venture, Core Devices. In a new podcast titled “Tick Talk w/ Eric Migicovsky,” he used the debut episode to demonstrate an early version of the Core 2 Duo smartwatch. And it’s an immediate throwback. During the demo, it was evident that the software still had some rough edges that needed polishing. For one, it doesn’t currently support the most basic features a smartwatch needs, which is displaying the time. But it will eventually get there.
The Core Devices team is reportedly still finalizing drivers for essential hardware components, including the vibration motor for notifications and the accelerometer for motion tracking. Migicovsky is, however, still confident that this model will meet its targeted July 2025 shipping date. We don’t know how accurate that is, considering that we’re in May, and July is just two months away, so don’t be surprised if we do end up having a delay. But if you do get your watch in July, that is pretty impressive.
Other than quirks in the software side, the physical design appears pretty much finalized. The Core 2 Duo shown featured a silicone strap design similar to those offered with the Apple Watch, incorporating a tuck-away slot for managing excess strap length. As a reminder, while the Core 2 Duo is heavily inspired by the design of the Pebble 2, it’s not 100% the same thing, and there are a few differences—though to the naked eye, they could probably both pass off as the same thing. There is also the Core Time 2, which is modeled after the Pebble Time 2, though that will be shipping later this year in December, provided this earlier launch does well.
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A significant portion of the podcast was also spent on the practical challenge US tariffs will impose on this launch—after all, both the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 are manufactured in Shenzhen, China. Migicovsky noted that while steeper proposed tariffs are currently on hold, Chinese-made smartwatches currently have a 27.5 percent tariff upon import into the US. He estimated this could add between $10 and $25 to the cost of each unit shipped. It’s not clear whether this will mean that the new Core watches will have a price hike attached to them—the Core 2 Duo is supposed to launch at $149, and it’s not clear whether the cost will just be eaten or if we’ll have a price hike. It will probably be the latter, especially if tariffs get worse.
Source: Core Devices via The Verge
