Pebble scooped up by Fitbit

Original Pebble smart-watch
Credit: Pebble/Amazon

Pebble's original smartwatch took the Kickstarter crowd funding site by storm with over $10 million pledged.¹

Over $20 million was pledged for Pebble Time, the second generation Pebble smartwatch.²


Pebble 2 – third generation update of the original Pebble
Credit: Pebble/Kickstarter


Pebble Time 2 – third generation update of the Pebble Time
Credit: Pebble/Kickstarter

Perhaps a sign of things to come – only $12 million was pledged for the third generation of Pebble watches³ – & it appears that delivery of those devices will not be completed. Pebble has been sold to Fitbit, allegedly for $40 million. Apparently, Fitbit was interested in the technology, but not the Pebble name, which will be retired.

Slash Gear
https://www.slashgear.com/the-pebble-post-mortem-the-wisdom-of-the-crowd-08466845/

Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-12-07/pebble-said-to-discuss-selling-software-assets-to-fitbit

The Verge
http://www.theverge.com/2016/12/7/13867158/fitbit-buys-pebble-smartwatch-acquisition-deal
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¹ Hitchhiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Hands-on with the Pebble smartwatch – first round production units to ship January 23” – the original Pebble smartwatch, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2013/01/hands-on-with-pebble-smartwatch-first.html

² Hitchhiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “Pebble Time — video” – second generation Pebble smartwatch, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2015/02/pebble-time.html

³ Hitchhiker’s Guide 2 Tech: “What Pebble had up its sleeve – two new smart watches & a new type of connected device” – third generation Pebble smartwatch, http://hhg2tech.blogspot.com/2016/05/what-pebble-had-up-its-sleeve.html / Pebble post-mortem post mortem wisdom crowd tech industry company bright and shiny startup bankruptcy Pebble lasted longer than many wearables firm was always being predicted for imminent death raising millions of dollars in crowdfunding cash original Pebble 2012 Apple Watch will crush Pebble Apple’s wearable two years later store shelves Apple Watch finally sealed Pebble’s death warrant analysts Google momentum Android Wear wearable technology segment Pebble fitness trackers usurped by smartwatches continued to dominate sales price cheap broadly-functional exercise tracking band well under $100 value proposition fitness wearable more readily understood traditional timepieces simply bare-wristed design battery life value basics of messaging and email your wrist modicum proactive uses without needing to reach for your phone Fitbit best of Pebble dumping the company’s watches color smartwatch monochrome smartwatch affordable fitness trackers fitness-first cementing their primary value smart features value-adds easier to explain Fitbit Pebble’s more vociferous fans useful company went for its second round of Kickstarter funding third drum-beating enthusiasts unofficial marketing fans Pebble positive retweets frustration and disappointment Pebble backers latest campaign will get refunds crowdfunding wasn’t Pebble’s first ambition strategy associated with founder and CEO Eric Migicovsky Kickstarter struggling to raise funding in more traditional ways company making headlines product raising money from customers your backers motivated vocal feedback cheerleaders bank venture capitalists customers backers interviewed Eric Migicovsky Pebble employees explanations rumors attempted buy-out by Citizen last year in excess of $700m sub-$40m price paid by Fitbit not even covering Pebble’s debts /