Pebble CEO and founder Eric Migicovsky took to the company's blog yesterday to personally confirm its imminent closure, following media reports earlier on Wednesday that Fitbit has acquired its technology, software assets, and other intellectual property.

Pebble

Dear Pebblers,

Thank you all for being such loyal supporters and champions of the Pebble community and brand. You helped start something fantastic when you backed our first Kickstarter project (and shout-out to the first inPulse users). Since then, we’ve shipped over 2 million Pebbles around the world!

However — due to various factors — Pebble is no longer able to operate as an independent entity. We have made the tough decision to shut down the company and no longer manufacture Pebble devices.

Migicovsky went on to cover the buyout, earlier confirmed by Fitbit in a press release, and said that many members of his team would be joining the company to continue their work on wearable software platforms. Migicovsky also said that Pebble devices will continue to work as normal, thanks to "close collaboration with the Fitbit team", but warned that functionality or service quality may be reduced in the future.

The blog post also lists a number of bulleted "need-to-knows" for customers, including further details on refunds for Kickstarter backers awaiting pre-orders of devices including the Pebble 2 and Core wearables. Customers can read the list here.

Tags: Pebble, Fitbit

Top Rated Comments

djcerla Avatar
82 months ago
2015: "We're not fazed by the Apple Watch"

2016: "We've been tased by the Apple Watch"
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
djcerla Avatar
82 months ago
Next Fitbit, always on colour screen, 7 day battery life and all the fitness features of a Fitbit with the functionality of the Pebble! Can't wait :)
that "always on colour screen" allowed for 7 days of battery life but it was so bad that it represented a major factor in the demise of the company.
[doublepost=1481204462][/doublepost]
$40m buyout and new jobs at Fitbit. Not bad for a few years work. I'd hardly call that tased
There is no money for no one.

VC lost most of its money, shares to employees are toilet paper, and there's a huge debt to be repaid.

This, just one year after declining a $740M offer from Citizen.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
44267547 Avatar
82 months ago
I think it was more the OS and very low powered CPU that allowed for 7 days battery life.

The Fitbit blaze would be brilliant if the screen was always on and you could do more on the watch rather than having to use the app to do everything. Set an alarm, use the app! argh!
Agreed. Pebble Watch's were not very powerful at all. Although, they were not really intended to be powerful. The low screen reduction and likely the low powered processor were the main reasons for strong battery life. Although, seven days was impressive.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jclardy Avatar
82 months ago
$40m buyout and new jobs at Fitbit. Not bad for a few years work. I'd hardly call that tased. I've never been a fan of their watches since I sold my Kickstarter edition literally an hour after I received it. But they clearly had some IP that Fitbit wanted. It's hard for a tiny startup like Pebble to compete marketing-wise with a behemoth like Apple. If they can be criticized it's not taking an even bigger buyout sum earlier this year. That was pure hubris.
40m after having a 750m offer a few months ago...that is pretty bad. The buyout is supposedly just barely covering their debts. Given their financial situation probably looked dire at that point I have no idea why they didn't take the initial huge buyout offer. I think their CEO being an engineer at heart and too invested in the product itself was likely their downfall.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JohnApples Avatar
82 months ago
A little sad to see Pebble go away, as they're the ones who got me into smart watches in the first place. I didn't, however, like how they kept relying on Kickstarter to get their new products out. I know some people defended this, but it just didn't sit right with me.

Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
budselectjr Avatar
82 months ago
They should make a Kickstarter and start making them again.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces WWDC 2023 Event Taking Place June 5 to 9

Wednesday March 29, 2023 9:58 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its 34th annual Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from Monday, June 5 to Friday, June 9. Like WWDC 2020, 2021, and 2022, WWDC 2023 will be an online event for the most part, and it will be open to all developers at no cost. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Apple will provide online sessions and labs, which will allow...
iPhone 15 Pro Buttons CAD Leak

iPhone 15 Pro Low-Energy Chip to Allow Solid-State Buttons to Work When Device is Off or Out of Battery

Wednesday March 29, 2023 1:54 am PDT by
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max will use a new ultra-low energy microprocessor allowing certain features like the new capacitive solid-state buttons to remain functional even when the handset is powered off or the battery has run out, according to a source that shared details on the MacRumors forums. CAD-based render of new solid-state buttons on iPhone 15 Pro models The source of this rumor is ...
CarPlay Phone Call

General Motors to Phase Out Apple CarPlay Starting This Year in EV Transition

Friday March 31, 2023 8:43 am PDT by
General Motors (GM) will phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its vehicles starting this year, shifting to a built-in infotainment system co-developed with Google (via Reuters). GM owns Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC in the United States. It will stop offering Apple CarPlay and Android Auto starting with the 2024 Chevrolet Blazer, which goes on sale this summer. The company plans ...
iPhone 15 Pro Multi Purpose button Mute Switch Feature Green 2

iPhone 15 Pro Rumored to Feature Multi-Use Action Button Instead of Mute Switch

Wednesday March 29, 2023 7:28 am PDT by
iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max models are rumored to feature a customizable Action button like the Apple Watch Ultra, according to a MacRumors forum member who leaked accurate details about the Dynamic Island on iPhone 14 Pro models last year. The source claimed the Action button will replace the Ring/Silent switch that has been included on every iPhone model since 2007. They did not...
iOS 16

iOS 16.4 Now Available for Your iPhone With These 8 New Features

Friday March 31, 2023 8:55 am PDT by
Following six weeks of beta testing, iOS 16.4 was released to the public this week. The software update includes a handful of new features and changes for the iPhone 8 and newer. To install an iOS update, open the Settings app on the iPhone, tap General → Software Update, and follow the on-screen instructions. Below, we have recapped eight new features and changes added with iOS 16.4,...
iOS 17 on Phone Feature

Three New iOS Features Coming to Your iPhone Following Apple Music Classical

Thursday March 30, 2023 7:13 am PDT by
With the Apple Music Classical app and an Apple Pay Later early access program now available, the list of previously-announced iOS features that have yet to launch is beginning to shrink. However, there are still a few features we are waiting for. Below, we have recapped three more iOS features that are expected to launch in 2023, including an Apple Card savings account for Daily Cash,...
apple mixed reality headset concept by david lewis and marcus kane

Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again

Thursday March 30, 2023 4:50 am PDT by
Apple has again pushed back mass production of its mixed-reality headset and the device may not appear at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today said. Apple headset concept by David Lewis and Marcus Kane In a tweet, Kuo explained that Apple "isn't very optimistic" about whether the headset will be able to create an "iPhone moment." As a result,...