What Options to Count on, Together with ChatGPT Integration

Nice information for Pebble smartwatch followers — Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky launched his new ‘Tick Discuss’ podcast yesterday and demoed the extremely anticipated Pebble Core 2 Duo.

Sporting a white model of the smartwatch in his YouTube video, Migicovsky provided a primary have a look at a few of its options. At first look, the Core 2 Duo (to not be confused with Intel’s processors) doesn’t look any completely different from the Pebble 2 launched in 2016. 

However a better look reveals a barely larger display screen, a water-proof speaker, and a silicone strap with a ‘strap keeper’ to maintain it from flapping round when worn.

A lot of the work on the watch is presently taking place on the software program facet, focusing totally on the Pebble restoration firmware. Apart from that, Migicovsky mentioned they’re additionally writing the drivers for the vibrating motor, accelerometer, and backlight.

‘I wanna make the backlight a bit bit much less shiny at evening or whenever you’re in a darkish space. I feel we’ve bought a bit little bit of tuning on the sunshine sensor for the brand new watches,’ he added in his Tick Discuss podcast.

Total, although, he mentioned he solely has a really quick to-do listing concerning new options on the Core 2 Duo smartwatch.

For one, he needs to create a local API that may permit builders to create small widgets to show data on the principle watch face (such because the climate and calendar occasions). 

He additionally needs to combine Beeper into the smartwatch, which is an app he created that lets you entry all of your chats from completely different messaging companies.

ChatGPT for the Core 2 Duo Smartwatch?

Migicovsky additionally mentioned the potential of having AI voice brokers on the smartwatch. He talked about Bobby, a Google Gemini AI integration created by Catherine Berry, that allows you to ask fast questions or get small bits of data. 

This potential integration would make nice use of the Core 2 Duo’s built-in speaker.

‘You would even have an AI communicate output to you with out having to look down at your wrist,’ mentioned Migicovsky. He added that having an AI agent on the watch helps him preserve the telephone in his pocket, particularly when hanging out along with his youngsters.

Following his expertise utilizing AI brokers like Bobby on his smartwatch, Eric declared himself ‘cautiously optimistic’ about doubtlessly integrating AI into the PebbleOS – a promising signal for Core 2 Duo’s growth down the road.

Pebble Core 2 Duo: Nonetheless On Observe to Launch in July

With the US and China presently locked in a bitter tariff struggle, the Pebble smartwatch founder revealed that he ‘picked a extremely troublesome time to get again into manufacturing {hardware}.’

Nonetheless, he assured followers that the crew remains to be on monitor to begin delivery the Core 2 Duos in July 2025. He added that the tariffs received’t have an effect on consumers exterior the US, because the smartwatches are being manufactured and shipped straight from China.

It’s a unique story for US-based clients, who might be affected by the mountaineering tariffs on China-made merchandise imported into the nation. 

Eric defined that these within the US aren’t getting the total tariff quantity but since US President Donald Trump paused the reciprocal tariffs on China-made items. 

However since Migicovsky isn’t positive how lengthy the pause goes to final, he mentioned that they’re attempting to get the Core 2 Duo manufactured as shortly as attainable.

A Return to a Less complicated Period of Smartwatches

In comparison with right this moment’s extra extremely succesful smartwatches — with touchscreens, sleep and step monitoring, and built-in coronary heart fee monitoring — the Core 2 Duo looks like a poor purchase with its easy black and white e-paper show. 

Basically, Core 2 Duo is extra of a watch than a smartwatch. 

However that’s the place the sweetness and uniqueness of the Core 2 Duo and the Pebble watches of previous lie. They’re constructed primarily to inform you the time, though in a extra enjoyable approach, with over 10K apps and watch faces.

When requested why he wears smartwatches, Migicovsky shared in his podcast that he likes having one as a result of it tells time. ‘However a smartwatch (just like the Pebble) is even higher at that as a result of whenever you journey, it modifications time zones. You would see a number of time zones. It’s only a higher watch usually.’ 

He added that he likes getting notifications with out having to have a look at his telephone or pc on a regular basis.

After which there’s the enjoyable issue that Pebble smartwatches are recognized for. 

‘I’ve this watch face on my wrist proper now, […] an octopus holding an ice cream cone. There’s nobody in the best thoughts who would ever make an precise watch that appears like that. However […] I downloaded it off the Pebble App retailer […]. I like that at any time when I look down at my wrist, I simply smile,’ Migicovsky mentioned.

It appears that evidently many long-time Pebble followers agree.

Total, the Core 2 Duo is a welcome change for these on the lookout for a extra primary smartwatch with out the muddle of options like GPS monitoring or different monitoring options.

With over 2M first-generation Pebble watches bought in 2017 and $12.7M raised for the Pebble 2 and Time 2, there should be a spot for this type of tech on folks’s wrists.