Amid the excitement of new Pebble smartwatches launching for the first time in around a decade, the company’s founder has warned iPhone owners not to expect an Apple Watch-like experience.
Prior to the reveal of the Pebble Core Time 2 and Core 2 Duo, Eric Migicovsky cautioned that not a lot has changed since Pebble went away in terms of compatibility with iOS devices. He explained why the functionality of third-party smartwatches could never match the best Apple Watch.
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Migicovsky says that while there’ll be a well functioning iOS app for the new, open-source PebbleOS watches, the new watches won’t be able to achieve many key features of a smartwatch in terms of connectivity with a companion phone device.
He listed plenty of missing features in said blog post. For example, there’s no way to send texts or iMessages, no replies to notifications or marking actions as complete and there’s no way for it to fully play nice with iOS apps (like Strava for instance). The companion app has to be open at all times for the watch to remain connected to the internet, and so on.
Why is this? Migicovsky said: “Apple systematically makes it nearly impossible for 3rd party wearable developers to build a smartwatch experience comparable to Apple Watch experience.”
He adds: “Apple claims their restrictions on competitors are only about security, privacy, crafting a better experience etc etc. At least that’s what they tell you as they tuck you into bed. I personally don’t agree – they’re clearly using their market power to lock consumers into their walled ecosystem. This causes there to be less competition, which increases prices and reduces innovation.”
The smartwatch pioneer says he’ll try to do the best he can because 40% of people who signed up for updates on the new watches were iPhone users. He advises iPhone users to speak out and keep up the pressure on Apple to make changes.
Please, Eric.
Migicovsky might have a point about Apple’s uncompetitive practices, but can we not overly moralise this? After all this fella isn’t exactly a bastion of always doing things the right way. He continually went back to the well of Kickstarter, taking consumers’ money months before the products shipped and, in the case of the Pebble 2 or the Pebble Core, never shipped at all. Now we’re supposed to welcome him back as some kind of crusading hero to fight against the Evil Empire? Right-oh.
