Pebble has published the algorithms that drive its native fitness tracking app, following the launch of its crowdfunding campaign for three new fitness-focused smartwatches, the Pebble Core, Pebble 2, and Time 2.

The move is a first in the wearables industry, and appears to be an effort by the company to demonstrate serious ambitions in the burgeoning "quantified self" and health data tracking fields.

pebble-happiness-app
Nathaniel Stockham is a Stanford University Ph.D. student in Neuroscience and the person who developed the app's algorithms. Stockham explained in a blog post called "Opening the Black Box" that one of the published algorithms detects and measures motion, while the other counts steps and can distinguish if you're walking or running.

Algorithms "are the missing piece in making wearables useful to developers and relevant to healthcare researchers", according to the company. The idea is that by making its own algorithms available to the public, Pebble is enabling third parties to expand upon its own work.

Pebble has also worked with Stanford to launch a new mood-logging app called Happiness. The app works on a weekly cycle and prompts users to rate their daily mood and energy levels, and also requests contextual details such as location, activity, and social company, and then collates the data in an email report. The app is available for Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel and Pebble Time Round users, and can be downloaded here.

Pebble claims that the app has allowed some of its own staff to make tangible changes in their life, such as socializing more with coworkers. The company states that all identifying Happiness usage data remains within the app, although it notes that some data may be used in aggregate analytics.

Lastly, Pebble has also published the results of a sleep study it has conducted with the university, looking at the differences between people who consider themselves "night owls" or "morning larks". The data was able to identify distinct clusters that aligned with the two tendencies, and suggests that these groups represent biologically established chronotypes.

Tag: Pebble

Top Rated Comments

pdaholic Avatar
119 months ago
At least Pebble is doing more with their watch than making different colors of bands...
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fitshaced Avatar
119 months ago
I'm surprised the Pebble Time didn't fail shortly after release as it looks like a child's toy. This doesn't help.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CFreymarc Avatar
119 months ago
I'm surprised the Pebble Time didn't fail shortly after release as it looks like a child's toy. This doesn't help.
Pebble is doing quite well. They hit the sweet spot price point and the apps are native. It is the revenge of the Palm Pilot.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
iPhone Car Key Kia

Here's Which Vehicles Offer iPhone Car Keys

Sunday July 6, 2025 3:03 pm PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. Apple has a web page with a list of vehicle models that ...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iphone 17 pro render majin bu

New iPhone 17 Pro Renders Highlight Apple Logo and MagSafe Design Changes

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:43 pm PDT by
New renders today provide the best look yet relocated Apple logo and redesigned MagSafe magnet array of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. Image via Majin Bu. Several of the design changes coming to the iPhone 17 Pro model have been rumored for some time, such as the elongated camera bump that spans the full width of the device, with the LiDAR Scanner and flash moving to the right side. ...
iPhone 14 Pro Dynamic Island

iPhone 17 Models Rumored to Feature Redesigned Dynamic Island

Monday July 7, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
iPhone 17 models will feature a redesigned Dynamic Island user interface, according to a post today from Digital Chat Station, an account with more than three million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The account has accurately leaked some information regarding future Apple products in the past. The account did not share any specific details about the alleged changes that are ...
Prime Day 25 Feature Warm Triad

The Best Prime Day Deals on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks, and More

Monday July 7, 2025 10:55 am PDT by
Amazon is back with its annual summertime Prime Day event, lasting for four days from July 8-11, the longest Prime Day yet. As it does every year, Prime Day offers shoppers a huge selection of deals across Amazon's storefront. With the event now underway, we're tracking numerous all-time low prices on Apple gear right now. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a...