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Pebble Smart Watch Adds Support for All iOS 7 Notifications, New Developer SDK and APIs

Wednesday November 6, 2013 8:59 am PST by Jordan Golson
Pebble NotificationsPebble today announced a significant update to its smart watch that allows any Notification Center alert to be pushed directly to the watch, a big improvement from the prior version which only allowed some notifications like calls and text messages to be sent.

Now, any iOS 7 notification -- whether from Facebook, Google Maps, Calendar or any other app -- will appear directly on the Pebble Smart Watch. The company also announced the next major version of the Pebble SDK for developers, including new APIs for Javascript, the accelerometer, data logging and persistent storage.

A new Pebble app for iOS will enable this functionality and is currently under review by Apple. Expect an update on the iTunes Store soon. Pebble is streaming the announcement live at 10AM Pacific so developers can see the latest updates.
First, we're introducing a delightful user experience for Pebble customers using iOS. Pebble is now fully integrated with iOS 7 and works seamlessly with Notification Center. This means that any notifications that you've enabled in Notification Center on your iOS 7 device will appear on your Pebble -- just like that. It's easier than ever to pick and choose which updates you want to see on your watch. This includes notifications beyond calls, texts and emails, such as Calendar, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, LinkedIn, Flickr, Dropbox, WhatsApp, Flipboard and more.

Second, we're launching Pebble SDK 2.0, which makes it even easier for developers to build awesome Pebble apps. SDK 2.0 opens up an entire universe of rich new watch apps thanks to four new APIs: Javascript, Accelerometer, Data Logging and Persistent Storage. These API allow developers to make Pebble apps that interface directly with the web (real-time weather, transit info, location check-in), access the accelerometer (health/fitness monitoring and gesture-based remote control), log data when disconnected from the phone (health/fitness tracking), and store info on the watch (high scores for games, settings).

The Pebble raised more than $10 million on Kickstarter, potentially proving the viability of the smart watch as a product. Apple is widely rumored to be working on its own iWatch and recently invested hundreds of millions of dollars in a new Arizona factory to make sapphire glass, perhaps for such a product.

Pebble says it has native apps from Foursquare, GoPro and Yelp on the way, with more to come. The Pebble smart watch is available for $150 in five colors from getpebble.com and at Best Buy and AT&T retail stores.

[ 92 comments ]


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bbeagle
77 months ago

cool, but I think I'd rather just look at notifications on the retina display.


When you're skiing? It'll be awesome on the slopes when I can glance at my watch for text messages my friends send from the lodge to meet up.

There are many situations (skiing, jogging, hiking, rowing a boat, in a noisy concert) where your phone is in your pocket and you can't get to it easily (or hear the vibrations) and seeing notifications on your wrist is so much easier.
Rating: 12 Votes
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staveb
77 months ago
Who knows when it will come out, but I'm waiting for the official Apple iWatch. That said, because of owning an iPhone, I haven't worn a watch for years now and enjoy having my wrist nude!
Rating: 9 Votes
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MozMan68
77 months ago
...but it still looks the way it looks.

Counting on Apple to have all of this and some serious style as well.
Rating: 9 Votes
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mysticbluebmw
77 months ago
Subjective as it may be, that's one fugly watch.
Rating: 9 Votes
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Chupa Chupa
77 months ago
I kind of feel bad for the Pebble guys. They are doing all this advance work for Apple and then they are going to get demolished the second the Apple watch is announced. I hope they are keeping some of the profits for themselves and not putting every dime backing into the company. They'll need it.
Rating: 8 Votes
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leftynaut
77 months ago

I would get a Pebble, but I just got this last week, instead.

[url=http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5497/10675180873_8e63e99d9b_c.jpg]Image (http://www.ocabj.net/rolex-gmt-master-ii-day-and-night-black-and-blue-bezel/)[/url]


we're all very happy for you
Rating: 8 Votes
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AppleMark
77 months ago

I don't really understand the concept of an 'iWatch' or similar device.


Here we go again.....

Same familiar sentence only the 'iWatch' has changed. You could insert any of the following words from past threads such as 'iPhone', 'iPad', 'iPad mini'....

They were all doomed to failure were they not? :rolleyes:
Rating: 7 Votes
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spiderman0616
77 months ago
cool, but I think I'd rather just look at notifications on the retina display.
Rating: 4 Votes
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ocabj
77 months ago
I would get a Pebble, but I just got this last week, instead.

(http://www.ocabj.net/rolex-gmt-master-ii-day-and-night-black-and-blue-bezel/)
Rating: 4 Votes
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Earendil
77 months ago

I don't really understand the concept of an 'iWatch' or similar device. Is it really that bothering to pull your phone out of your pocket? How much extra time will it save? :confused:


Not pulling your phone out of your pocket to save time is only one, and I'd say minor, reason to avoid sticking you hand in your pocket. Others might be:

* Phone isn't actually in your pocket. But is someplace near by charging, in a purse, backpack, or bag.
* You don't want to announce to the world that you have an expensive device on you. You have to be a far savvier theif to recognize a pebble than an iPhone 5s.
* You physically can't get it out of your pocket. Hands busy, or waist is smashed.
* It's not safe to take it out due to circumstances. The environment may pose a dirt/water/drop risk factor in your hand that isn't present in your pocket.


For running/jogging, I think the iPhone 5S' M7 co-processor is sufficient enough to handle such things.


I'm not sure how the co-processor helps you view information on your phone while running?

Would be interested to hear what other useful purpose an iWatch would serve.


Before I dive in, I'll note that I haven't bought a Pebble because it's not worth it to me. However, here are areas of my life where I could make use of it.

Biking. I usually bury my phone deep in my backpack for safety, and then go bike for hours on end. Even if I have my phone in my pocket, I tend to stop riding in order to pull my phone out because the risk of dropping it while cruising down a street at 15mph just isn't worth it to me.

Driving. I have bucket seats in my car making the removal of a phone from my pocket a chore. You should see the pelvic dance I do to get my wallet out for a drive-thru. Note that I don't text or call while driving, but being able to easily check whether I should pull over to communicate with someone without contortionist exorcises would be nice.

Dirt/oil is around my hands often enough to consider a problem, and that makes it either a hassle or impractical to remove my phone from my pocket. Sadly, I'm the type of person that if I don't processes a message/call in the first 5 seconds I'm likely to forget for half a day. However, checking my wrist is likely to be quick and right in front of me. This would quickly let me know whether I need to dive for a towel to wipe my hands off or keep on working.

Socially I feel it would be a lot more acceptable to glance at a watch to see the message "I'm on my way" than it is to pull a phone out of your pocket and fiddle with it for a few seconds. Note that circumstances apply, as checking a watch while talking to great aunt Helga may be an even worse insult :)

Obviously a few of these could be solved with other means. However those other means are either too inconvenient or require setup that I forget to do. If I had a watch that I wore all the time there would be no additional steps or remembering to do. But again, I don't own one :)
Rating: 3 Votes

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