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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 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
91 months ago
They should make a Kickstarter and start making them again.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

26 New Things Your iPhone Can Do With Next Month's iOS 17.2 Update

Wednesday November 22, 2023 10:57 pm PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen two more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 26 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released in December. 1. Help You...
Apple Watch Series 9

5 Reasons to Wait for Next Year's Apple Watch

Friday November 24, 2023 3:46 am PST by
With all the discounted deals on Apple tech currently available, you might be thinking about upgrading your Apple Watch or buying one for the first time. But if your current smartwatch is doing its job just fine and it's only the idea of a good deal that's piqued your interest, it could be worth holding out until next year when Apple unveils its latest and greatest version. There are already ...
best early black friday iphone 2

The Best Cyber Monday iPhone Deals

Friday November 24, 2023 5:16 am PST by
Black Friday is over and Cyber Monday has arrived, and discounts are still available on the iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Best iPhone and Accessory Deals iPhone 15 Pro/Pro Max...
iOS 18 Mock Feature Baubles

iOS 18: All the Rumors and Known Features So Far

Thursday November 23, 2023 6:50 am PST by
iOS 18 is still over seven months away from being announced, but there are already a few rumors and expectations for the software update. iOS 18 should be announced at Apple's annual developers conference WWDC next June, and released to all users with a compatible iPhone in September. Below, we recap all of the rumors and information pertaining to the update so far. "Major New Features" ...
General Black Friday Deals 2022 Green

40+ Apple Black Friday Deals Still Available for AirPods, iPhone, iPad and More

Friday November 24, 2023 5:01 am PST by
Black Friday 2023 has officially ended, but we're still tracking some of the best deals of the year on Apple products like AirPods, iPad, iPhone, MacBook, and many more. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running. Specifically, in this article we're...
ipad mini 2021 youtube

What to Expect From the Next iPad Mini Later in 2024

Friday November 24, 2023 1:00 pm PST by
Over 800 days have passed since Apple last updated the iPad mini, as outlined in the MacRumors Buyer's Guide. Fortunately, a new iPad mini is rumored to be released next year, and we have outlined what to expect from the device below. Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, with new features at the time including a larger 8.3-inch display, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power...