The smartwatch has evolved a LOT in the past 15 years, to say the least. When Eric Migicovsky was still a student at University of Waterloo, he wanted a way to get his BlackBerry notifications on his wrist. What started with the inPulse prototype eventually turned into the Pebble smartwatch, which exploded on Kickstarter back in 2012.
However, after its sale to Fitbit (now owned by Google) in 2016, Pebble hasn’t had a new release, let alone software update. But nearly a decade later, Migicovsky hasn’t lost hope that his ideas can still make their way back into the fray — in fact, he still wears his Pebble watch, which still works! And after pestering Google a few times to release the open-sourced Pebble firmware to the public, the designer is now back with a new brand that’s essentially Pebble in every way but the name (which is owned by Google).
Engage Your Core
The new smartwatch company is called Core, and has already unveiled its first two hackable models: the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2.
“Like Pebble 2, but better,” the Core 2 Duo looks nearly identical to the Pebble 2, even down to the same 1.2-inch black-and-white e-paper LCD screen, which actually came from a supplier that had the frames for the Pebble. However, there are a few cool upgrades. For one, the battery life now lasts 30 days instead of seven. Also, there’s finally a built-in microphone and speaker which you can use to listen to music or chat with digital assistants. Available in black and white, the watch sports a sturdy polycarbonate frame with four-button operation on the sides of the case.
A Premium Version Too
Alongside the Core 2 Duo is the Core Time 2, a more premium model with a 64-color e-paper screen, a little larger at 1.5” and with touchscreen capabilities (along with the same four buttons as the Duo). Core says there are “multiple color options” for the metal case but have only unveiled the black and white versions thus far. While the Duo has compass, barometer, step tracking, and sleep tracking functions, the Time 2 can also read your heart rate. Best of all, the Time model is expected to have the same 30-day battery life as the Duo.
All said, the Core smartwatches intend to have more function over form, especially compared to the crowded smartwatch market of 2025. Hopefully we’ll see much more from Migicovsky and his creations.
Spec Sheet
Screen Size: 1.2” (Duo), 1.5” (Time)
Screen Type: E-Paper LCD; black-and-white (Duo) or 64 color touchscreen (Time)
Case Material: Polycarbonate (Duo), Metal (Time)
Functions: Compass, barometer, step tracking, sleep tracking, and heart rate monitoring (Time model only)
Battery Life: 30 days
Water Resistance: IPX8
Pricing & Availability
Landing in July, the Core 2 Duo is available for pre-order for $149, meanwhile the Core Time 2 can be pre-ordered for $225. However, it won’t ship until December. Head over to Core’s website to learn more.
Recap
Core 2 Duo & Core Time 2 Smartwatches
Kickstarter-favorite Pebble has returned from the grave as a new start-up called Core, debuting with a pair of smartwatches that look just like the Pebbles, but with some small upgrades.
