Remember the Pebble smartwatch that broke onto the scene almost a decade back? You might be forgiven if you have already lost track of it as it isn’t mainstream anymore. That is until now when the smartwatch characterized by an E Ink display is back in the news all over again thanks to an update that makes it 64-bit-ready. That way, as ArsTechnica reported, the smartwatch is now compliant with the latest Pixel 7 smartphone as well as other such Android devices due out in the near future. No wonder, this was completely unexpected and infused fresh life into the device that was almost on its last legs already.
The latest version 4.4.3 update has been released by Rebble Alliance, a group that has been working to keep the Pebble watches relevant post Fitbit’s move to down Pebble’s servers back in 2018. That’s almost two years after Fitbit acquired Pebble in December 2016. Its new owners had also stated at the time there won’t be any new updates or features forthcoming for the Pebble, save for maybe an occasional bug fix and such.
The latest Pebble version 4.4.3 app isn’t available via the Play Store though. That said, it comes duly signed using the official Pebble keys while also having Google Fit integrated. Interestingly, one of the key members of Rebble Alliance, Katharine Berry is also associated with Wear OS at Google and happens to be one of the leading coders at Rebble as well. Meanwhile, the latest update has also brought back the caller ID feature that had gone wayward with the more recent Android iterations.
All of this makes for a stunning comeback of sorts for the Pebble E Ink smartwatch of yore that would have died out a slow death if the latest update wasn’t forthcoming. All Pebble smartwatches launched in 2013 and later can make the most of the update, provided the E Ink display and the battery are working fine.
With a keen interest in tech, I make it a point to keep myself updated on the latest developments in technology and gadgets. That includes smartphones or tablet devices but stretches to even AI and self-driven automobiles, the latter being my latest fad. Besides writing, I like watching videos, reading, listening to music, or experimenting with different recipes. The motion picture is another aspect that interests me a lot, and I'll likely make a film sometime in the future.
