At a Glance
- Pebble launches the Pebble Round 2 smartwatch at $199, with a larger e-paper display, 10-14-day battery, and new button interface.
- The device offers basic health tracking and runs Pebble OS on a 1.3″ color e-paper panel.
- Pre-orders open Jan 2 and shipping is May.
Pebble is rolling out its latest smartwatch, the Pebble Round 2, a rounded-screen version of its earlier Pebble Time 2. The $199 device keeps the company’s low-price focus while adding a larger e-paper display, longer battery life and a new button-driven interface.
Design and Display
The Pebble Round 2 keeps the thin 8.1 mm profile that defined the original Pebble Time Round, but replaces the octagonal glass and huge bezel with a larger 1.3″ color e-paper panel that is twice the pixel count of the first model. The screen is backlit, so you can read it in the dark, and the watch runs Pebble OS.
- 1.3″ color e-paper display
- 260 × 260 pixels, 283 DPI
- Backlit for night use
Functionality and Battery
The watch offers basic health and activity tracking-steps and sleep-but omits a heart-rate sensor, keeping costs down. Dual microphones enable speech input and message replies, currently Android-only but soon iOS-compatible in the EU. The side buttons let you silence calls, pause music, navigate, and scroll without looking.
- Battery life: 10-14 days
- No heart-rate monitor
- Dual microphones for voice
- Side buttons for call, music, navigation
Build and Accessories
Stainless-steel frame, accelerometer, magnetometer, silicone band and charge dongle come standard; leather bands will ship separately. Three color options are available, each supporting specific band sizes.
| Color | Band Size |
|---|---|
| Matte black | 20 mm |
| Silver | 14 mm or 20 mm |
| Rose gold | 14 mm |
Software and AI
The Pebble Round 2 can run thousands of apps and watch faces from the Pebble Appstore, though developers must update for the rounded screen using the new SDK. AI assistants such as Claude are already available, and Pebble plans to bring the audio-recording, transcription features of its AI ring to future watches.
Eric Migicovsky stated:
> “The Pebble Time Round was, by far, one of my favorite Pebbles, but it wasn’t perfect… It had a few things we could improve, most notably being the gigantic bezel around the edge.”
Eric Migicovsky added:
> “Say, for example, someone’s calling, and you’re in a meeting, and you just don’t want to answer the call… You don’t even want to look at your watch. You always know that the bottom button cancels the call. Or if you’re listening to music and you’ve got AirPods in and you don’t want to fiddle… you always know that the center button pauses music.”
Availability
Pre-orders open on Jan 2 via Pebble’s website and shipping is slated for May. Existing Pebble Time 2 customers can switch to the Round 2 if they wish.
Key Takeaways
- Pebble Round 2 launches at $199 with a larger e-paper display and 10-14 day battery.
- The watch relies on button controls and dual microphones, omitting a heart-rate sensor.
- Pre-orders begin Jan 2, with shipping scheduled for May.
The Pebble Round 2 promises a budget-friendly smartwatch experience that balances simplicity with the added convenience of a larger, backlit screen and longer battery life.
