Nearly 55,000 people have now backed the Pebble Time smartwatch. In its latest campaing update, Pebble today announced the Pebble Time Steel for those looking for a more “refined and elegant aesthetic.” It also unveiled Smartstraps which will contain additional electronics and sensors to complement Pebble functions.
Much as Pebble did with the original Pebble Steel, the new Pebble Time Steel is a metal version of the just announced Pebble Time. It will be nearly identical to it but there are a couple of differences:
- CNC-finished 316L stainless steel case
- Larger battery, offering up to 10 days of normal use
- The same color e-paper display but now bonded directly to the top lens
- Available in Gunmetal Black, Silver Stainless, and Gold
- Includes two straps: fine leather and stainless steel
- 1mm thicker than Pebble Time
As for the Pebble Smartstraps, they will allow Pebble to offer support for additional electronics and sensors.
Rather than trying to shove every sensor and doohickey into the Pebble Time, we decided to keep the watch simple and functional and give our incredible maker and developer community the opportunity to build from there. Up until now, if you wanted it all you had to compromise…on battery life, size, design or feature set. Not anymore.
Pebble is still working out all the details but accessory manufacturers will be able to offer a range of straps with different capabilities (eg, GPS, heart rate monitor, NFC or battery extension). Users will be able to switch straps in seconds as needed.
Pebble has now opened an early access program to the smartstraps APIs for developers to give them a chance to start working on straps.
The Pebble Time Steel will begin shipping in July. It will retail for US$299 (about CA$375) but will be offered for US$250 (about CA$310) during the Kickstarter campaign. Existing Pebble Time backers will have the opportunity to upgrade their orders to the Pebble Time Steel without losing their place in the queue.
Source : Kickstarter