An open letter to Pebble

December 04, 2016

Last week I heard about the rumoured buyout of Pebble by Fitbit. As an Apple fan, I’m sometimes asked why I would wear a Pebble rather than an Apple Watch. There are two main reasons:

1. For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been obsessed about time. I started wearing a watch when I was 6 or so, and have always felt a bit weird when there wasn’t one on my wrist. For me, the biggest benefit of a watch is being able to glance at the time. An Apple Watch shows a blank face for almost all of its time on a person’s wrist, and requires a flipping motion to show the time. This isn’t ideal for me. My Pebble Time Steel is always showing the time.
2. I’m used to watches that last years on a battery. Having another item to charge daily is a pain. My Pebble Time Steel lasts more than a week per charge, which is orders of magnitude better than the competition.

Because I’ve been so happy with my Time Steel, I also backed the Time 2. I was very much looking forward to the larger screen and heartrate sensor. But since backing, there’s been radio silence on when I should expect to see this product, if ever.

I respect that hardware manufacturing is a tough beat. I’d also bet that, despite my preference for Pebble’s choices, most people would prefer different design decisions. As well, I’d guess that a Fitbit buyout means there’s also some embargo on news until the deal goes through. All this said: I feel under-informed and frustrated. I’ve backed enough projects on Kickstarter to understand that delays are normal, and things don’t always go as planned. It’s only when there’s a lack of communication that I really start getting worried.

Below is the email I just sent to support@pebble.com

Hi,

I love my Pebble Time Steel, and am extremely saddened by the lack of communication about the Pebble Time 2. I backed this product because I want a smart watch that’s always displaying the time, and that doesn’t require daily charging.

Since backing in late May, there have been no product delivery updates related to the Time 2. In your campaign copy you state (emphasis added):

Each reward tier may have a different estimated shipment month. While we do not expect these to change, it is possible that the estimated shipment month may shift. We will provide updates when/if the estimated shipment date changes. At anytime up until your watch has shipped, you may request a full refund by emailing support@pebble.com.

The Pebble Time 2 has missed its estimated shipping window. As well, there have recently been well-reported rumours about a Fitbit buyout. This buyout could further affect product delivery.

Because of this, I am now requesting a full refund.

Please refund the $184 you collected for the account with email address […]

Thank you.