Earlier this week, Pebble announced Pebble Steel, a metal version of its popular smartwatch. I am a big fan of the original Pebble and pretty excited to have the opportunity to try the new hardware before it ships in mid-February.
The Pebble Steel is forged with CNC-machined stainless steel in two different finishes: matte black and brushed stainless. It’s also significantly smaller than the plastic original, and feels weighty in the hand, though not heavy. It feels dense, significant, making it the type of watch one wouldn’t think twice about wearing in the real world.
Metal often conveys the feeling of value, and is one of the first things people notice when they pick up a product. So does the Pebble Steel feel like it’s worth $249? Absolutely.
Although I am usually a brushed stainless kind of guy, having seen both finishes in person I’d opt for the black matte version. I’m not big on the leather band, but since it comes free, along with the metal band, it’s hard to complain about.
The screen does seem bigger and clearer than the original, a trick of the eye since nothing has actually changed aside from adding a thin sheet of Gorilla Glass. The use of Glass adds to the premium weighty feel of the Pebble Steel, too.
The display also has an anti-fingerprint coating which definitely protected it from smears from what I could tell but with just one touch of the watch I could see my fingerprint on the glass so don’t expect it to always be crystal clear.
Pebble has said that many of the design changes were made because of feedback they received from the community. Many of my friends were Pebble early adopters and customized their plastic watches with leather and steel wristbands. Little additions, like the RGB LED battery indicator, are important improvements.
The watch still has a total geek chic vibe. In fact, the metal makes it look a lot more like a 80’s calculator watch than the original plastic version. This isn’t going to hold me back but it might not be for everyone.
Although the Steel is a great addition to the Pebble lineup, I still think the company and other smartwatch makers today haven’t quite nailed the design. It would be great to see the next Pebble hardware release be developed in collaboration with a fashion house or watch brand, similar to what Intel announced earlier this week. Combining Pebble’s prowess in smartwatch technology with the fashion equity held a Michael Kors or Tag Heuer, for example, could bring the product into the mainstream.
Along with the new hardware, Pebble is also adding a new Notification area for Pebble where you will be able to go and view notifications you may have missed. They are also readying the release of an app store, which will be an update to the existing Pebble iOS and Android apps.
The Pebble Steel can be ordered only on the Pebble website at this time.
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