Before you go any further, you need to see this. It might completely change the way you look at smartwatches and it might actually make it desirable. The Pebble Steel could throw the cat amongst the pigeons and I have a sneaking suspicion that it will.
First, a little history ““ yes I know, but bear with me. Pebble was a small, newly formed company that wanted to build a smartwatch. It tried Kickstarter to raise the money it needed, and to say it “˜succeeded‘ it somewhat of an understatement. Pebble broke all Kickstarter records, and it is still the highest total ever raised – $10 million.
Exactly a year ago at CES 2013 it started off by showing off a functional version of the Pebble smartwatch, which it launched to the public soon thereafter. It then went on to become the biggest selling smartwatch by a very large margin, selling over 300,000 units in 2013. Pebble are now also planning to launch their own app store.
So now on to CES 2014 ““ Pebble gives us the Pebble Steel. A noteworthy thing to mention is that the original Pebble will still be sold at the same price, so Steel is not the new version. It costs $100 more than the original, so what is it for? Is it completely new and revamped?
The original Pebble had a good ecosystem, sporty look and obviously a loyal following. Pebble then did some market research amongst its customers and also people that didn‘t want to buy the product and that led them to the conclusion that Pebble isn’t exactly the kind of device you slap on your wrist for wine tastings or nights at the theatre. Therefore, we still have the Pebble, but now we also have the Pebble Steel. If you like the idea of the Pebble, but don’t think it radiates enough elegance or class, the $250 Steel may be more up your alley.
The most striking changes to the Steel are all cosmetic, all of which are welcome improvements that give the Pebble a much more mature appearance. The stainless steel body is surrounded by a small, black racing stripe near the top, which doubles as an external antenna; without it, the Bluetooth signal would be consistently obstructed by the watch’s metal chassis, which was confirmed by Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky.
You can also choose between two available colours: Brushed Stainless and Black Matte. We’ve always been fond of the original Pebble’s look, but there is definitely something to be said about the fact that the Steel is simply more stylish, not to mention easier to use. The packaging itself is significantly upgraded, exuding a more premium feel and containing a full set of tools for adjusting the new straps and a new magnetic charging plug.
Pebble‘s continued success is dependent on the continuation of a successful product in a way that keeps bringing customers back, because they aren‘t one of the massive companies that can talk holes in customer‘s ears with massive amounts of advertising. The basic foundation of the Pebble Steel may still be the same, but the presentation and craftsmanship of the product have taken a leap forward that will be appreciated by many.
Source: TheVerge
