Eric Migicovsky, the founder of Pebble smartwatch, has introduced two new watches through his new company Core Devices: the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2. These devices carry forward the original Pebble design, leveraging PebbleOS, which Google open-sourced in January 2025.
Core 2 Duo
Eric Migicovsky called the Core 2 Duo a “do-over” of the Pebble 2, now packed with modern upgrades. It features a crisp 1.26-inch black-and-white e-paper display and runs over 10,000 Pebble apps and watchfaces.
The watch has a lightweight polycarbonate frame in black or white, targets IPX8 water resistance, and includes a microphone and step and sleep tracking. It uses a standard 22mm watch strap.
Migicovsky highlighted its 30-day battery life, up from the Pebble 2’s 7 days. It runs on a Nordic nRF52840 BLE chip and offers a speaker, a quieter and stronger linear resonance actuator (replacing the vibrating motor), and buttons with up to 30% longer lifespan in testing. Additional sensors include a barometer and compass.
Quick specifications: Core 2 Duo
- 1.26″ ultra-crisp black & white e-paper display
- 10,000+ Pebble apps & watch faces
- Lightweight polycarbonate frame (White/Black)
- IPX8 Water-resistant
- Microphone, speaker, step & sleep tracking
- Barometer, compass, standard 22mm strap
- 30-day battery life (up from 7 days)
- Nordic nRF52840 BLE chip
- Linear resonance actuator (quieter & stronger)
- More reliable buttons (30% longer lifespan)
Core Time 2
“This is my dream watch,” Migicovsky said, describing the Core Time 2 as everything the Pebble Time 2 aimed to be and more. It boasts a 64-color, 1.5-inch e-paper display—53% larger with 88% more pixels (200×228 vs. 144×168) than its predecessor. It also supports over 10,000 Pebble apps and watch faces.
The Core Time 2 features a metal frame and buttons (likely CNC-milled aluminum) in black, white, and possibly a third color, with a flat glass lens for reduced glare compared to the curved lens of the Pebble Time family.
It offers a 30-day battery life (estimated), a touchscreen, a heart rate monitor, IPX8-targeted water resistance, step and sleep tracking, a microphone, a speaker, and a linear resonance actuator. It uses a standard 22mm strap. Migicovsky noted its industrial design mirrors the Pebble 2, slightly enlarged for the bigger display.
Quick specifications: Core Time 2
- 1.5″ 64-color e-paper display
- 10,000+ Pebble apps & watch faces
- Metal frame & buttons (Black/White + possible 3rd color)
- 30-day battery life (estimated)
- Flat glass lens (reduced glare & reflections)
- Touchscreen, heart rate monitor
- IPX8 Water-resistant
- Step & sleep tracking, linear resonance actuator
- Microphone & speaker
- Standard 22mm watch strap
Software and Compatibility
Both watches run open-source PebbleOS, enabling core features like notifications, timelines, watchfaces, alarms, timers, calendars, music control, and basic fitness tracking.
Migicovsky emphasized that most of the 10,000+ existing PebbleOS apps and watchfaces work immediately, though some may connect to outdated web services. On the Core Time 2, older apps will show with a border until developers update them for the larger display.
Migicovsky added that a companion app for Android and iOS is in development, led by his friend Steve, a former Pebble colleague, alongside crc32, a longtime Cobble developer working with him since last summer. An updated SDK for creating new PebbleOS watchfaces and apps is also underway, he said.
Development Updates
The Core 2 Duo is advanced in its progress, with dozens of units already produced for testing. Button enhancements are verified, and PebbleOS is compiled for the new architecture, running smoothly on the watch.
All firmware development is open-source, available on GitHub and Discord. Migicovsky revealed he took a financial risk by starting development before PebbleOS went open-source, aided by a supplier with leftover Pebble 2 components.
For the Core Time 2, component selection, initial industrial and mechanical design, and sourcing of long-lead-time parts are complete. Prototyping is underway. Migicovsky credited Google’s PebbleOS release for accelerating software development, a rare advantage in hardware projects where software typically lags. Shipments are planned for December 2025, with details like final frame color options to be shared later this year, he noted.
Pricing and Availability
Both watches are available exclusively for pre-order at store.rePebble.com. Due to limited display inventory, production will be restricted. Migicovsky urged pre-ordering, as sign-ups on rePebble already exceed planned units. Pre-orders are fully refundable until shipping.
- Core 2 Duo: USD 149 (Rs. 12,905 approx.), shipping July 2025.
- Core Time 2: USD 225 (Rs. 19,490 approx.), shipping December 2025.