Pebble fires 25% of its staff.

[GoodBytes]

Pebble, the company known for its crowd sourced long battery life smartwatches that works on both iOS and Android OS powered smartphones, is reporting that it laid off 25% of its staff, or if you prefer 40 employees. The company is not doing so hot these days, with the growing competition, the company itself says, creating a lack of funding for continuing operation with its current size.

 

Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky says:

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Money is pretty tight these days

 

Migicovsky suggests that the company may start focusing on health bands such as fitness trackers, as this is what is popular now.

The Verge says:

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Still, there's a clear suggestion that Pebble's business is not in perfect shape. Migicovsky suggests that its future products could shift their focus toward health and fitness features, which he sees consumers having more interest in. Pebble already offers some fitness features, but it doesn't explicitly offer a sport model of its watch, nor a dedicated fitness tracker.

 

Among the 40 employees laid off, there is Itai Vonshak. He was hired as head of product in 2014.

Vonshak was responsible for the famous Pebble's Timeline interface.

She now works for Intel.

 

 

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/23/11292742/pebble-laying-off-25-percent-of-staff

 

Do you think smartwatches was/is a fad? Is health band, like the Microsoft Band 2, or Fitbit , or Garmin Vivo series, just to name a few, is the future, or also a market that will die down soon?

[Kobathor]

Smartwatches to me aren't a fad, but they're niche. Not many people care, and even less people are willing to pay the hundreds of dollars for watches that aren't made of gold or whatever.

I want a Pebble, but only for fun- I'd rather use my Fossil as a regular watch.

[thekeemo]

I think things like the pebble are a better idea than normal smartwatches and fitness bands

[Orangeator]

Honestly, until the Watches will have a longer life span and not get out dated within a year or two, they will never become a permanent "fashion" accessory. Why would I spent $600 every other two years for a new watch because my old ones non replaceable battery cannot hold a charge when I could spend $1000 on a watch that will last me 60 years. 

[79wjd]

5 minutes ago, Orangeator said:

Honestly, until the Watches will have a longer life span and not get out dated within a year or two, they will never become a permanent "fashion" accessory. Why would I spent $600 every other two years for a new watch because my old ones non replaceable battery cannot hold a charge when I could spend $1000 on a watch that will last me 60 years. 

Why do most people buy a new phone every 1-2 years when a four year old phone is just as good for what they do? 

 

That $1000 watch also has a different feature set and a different use case. I'd like to get a nice watch, but at the same time, i really enjoy having a smart watch. 

[Aytex]

i'd rather have one of this

Spoiler

except less cancerous and bigger battery life ;p

[Orangeator]

7 minutes ago, djdwosk97 said:

Why do most people buy a new phone every 1-2 years when a four year old phone is just as good for what they do? 

 

That $1000 watch also has a different feature set and a different use case. I'd like to get a nice watch, but at the same time, i really enjoy having a smart watch. 

I am with you, I love the idea of smart watches. I just do not like the fact that their battery life is horrible. The day I can use it in my regular day (14 hours), I will get one. However I would prefer to look at it more then my smartphone if I had one, but there is no smartwatch that gets 5 hours of on screen time. My LG G4 has 20% left with almost 5 hours of on screen time, so if I had a watch that could do the same I would by all means get it. That way I would never really have to take my phone out of my pocket. Also if I do start running low on battery with my phone I just pop a new battery in there, the smartwatches currently don't give me that option. 

[79wjd]

3 minutes ago, Orangeator said:

I am with you, I love the idea of smart watches. I just do not like the fact that their battery life is horrible. The day I can use it in my regular day (14 hours), I will get one. However I would prefer to look at it more then my smartphone if I had one, but there is no smartwatch that gets 5 hours of on screen time. My LG G4 has 20% left with almost 5 hours of on screen time, so if I had a watch that could do the same I would by all means get it. That way I would never really have to take my phone out of my pocket. Also if I do start running low on battery with my phone I just pop a new battery in there, the smartwatches currently don't give me that option. 

I've been using the Pebble Time Round, and while it doesn't have the full functionality of something like an Apple Watch/Moto 360/etc... it has enough for me and it lasts two days and doesn't look like ass (it's round and very thin). 

[MeDownYou]

Personally I have a pebble as my daily watch, and love it i get 7-8 days of battery life out of it pushing emails to my watch all day long, but i wouldn't have bought it if it wasn't what it was meant to be first, which is a watch. Sure fitness is neat and stuff but at the end of the day you wear a watch as a watch not something else. I find that honestly if i could get a color version of original pebble with a little better resolution screen that has the SAME or BETTER battery life I'd upgrade in a heartbeat, but until then I'm going to stick with the original until it either dies or isn't compatible with my phone anymore. 

 

*EDIT: and if had something a bit more resistant than the clear plastic over the display would be nice, i'm thinking glass?

[Mattb6288]

I work in the electronics department at Target and I almost never sell Pebbles. I've only sold 1 of the round ones because someone thought it was cool and it was cheaper than the Apple Watch. The regular Pebble Time only sells when it's on sale, but even then they rarely sell. I sell about 1 Pebble product every couple weeks. When you compare that to selling about 5-6 fitbit / other smart watches a day, it's no wonder they are starting to go under.

[atrash]

Should have taken the partnership offer from Microsoft not too long ago. They could've developed something like Band 2  with deep integration of Windows OSes by now. 

[NickTheMajin]

My problem with Smart Watches is that they all look cheap. I own and use a stainless steel with milanese loop Apple Watch (~$700) and I like it a lot but it's nothing compared to the much more expensive watches in my collection. The Pebble in particular, all the models, look like happy meal toys. A watch, even a smart watch, is a fashion accessory. Most smart watch companies don't realize this. Apple at least does since they seem to regularly be releasing new bands, though the watch desperately needs a classy watch face that isn't the chronograph. 

[79wjd]

3 minutes ago, NickTheMajin said:

My problem with Smart Watches is that they all look cheap. I own and use a stainless steel with milanese loop Apple Watch (~$700) and I like it a lot but it's nothing compared to the much more expensive watches in my collection. The Pebble in particular, all the models, look like happy meal toys. A watch, even a smart watch, is a fashion accessory. Most smart watch companies don't realize this. Apple at least does since they seem to regularly be releasing new bands, though the watch desperately needs a classy watch face that isn't the chronograph. 

The Time Round isn't toooo bad (it's by no means comparable to a decent/nice watch, but for a smartwatch I think it's one of the better looking ones). I honestly think it looks classier than the Apple Watch. 

[NickTheMajin]

Just now, djdwosk97 said:

The Time Round isn't toooo bad. I honestly think it looks classier than the Apple Watch. 

 

It has a more classic shape but it's so cheap looking. The reason I chose the Apple Watch is that it looks and feels expensive even if its an unorthodox shape. The steel watch with the metal strap is heavy and premium feeling. Not that it matters that much because any time I wear nice clothing I use much nicer looking traditional watches. 

[Yoinkerman]

Eh sounds like they got too big too fast.  I'm sure tech watches aren't going anywhere

[Poofu]

As a recent pebble time round owner i'm quite shocked. I had the original pebble for about 2 years and just recently updated and there is no way i can go back to not using one or even the old one. i think they make a great product and it really makes me sad that their not doing well.

 

On March 23, 2016 at 6:27 PM, NickTheMajin said:

 

It has a more classic shape but it's so cheap looking. The reason I chose the Apple Watch is that it looks and feels expensive even if its an unorthodox shape. The steel watch with the metal strap is heavy and premium feeling. Not that it matters that much because any time I wear nice clothing I use much nicer looking traditional watches. 

well for the price of an apple watch you could get a pebble time round and several other 20mm watch bands to go with it, the watch portion itself look quite premium.

[79wjd]

25 minutes ago, NickTheMajin said:

 

It has a more classic shape but it's so cheap looking. The reason I chose the Apple Watch is that it looks and feels expensive even if its an unorthodox shape. The steel watch with the metal strap is heavy and premium feeling. Not that it matters that much because any time I wear nice clothing I use much nicer looking traditional watches. 

I still think it looks more elegant than the Apple Watch (not saying much). 

3 minutes ago, Poofu said:

the watch portion itself look quite premium.

Meh, I wouldn't go that far. 

[NickTheMajin]

1 minute ago, Poofu said:

well for the price of an apple watch you could get a pebble time round and several other 20mm watch bands to go with it, the watch portion itself look quite premium.

 

Or I could have bought ~20 $30-50 watches at Target or Kohls. In my opinion, its better to have a few nice looking pieces than many cheap looking ones. 

[BOT Edward]

Speaking from an investors POV, smart watches are a dead end currently.

 

The market is now heavily saturated and in my opinion they didn't capitalize when they needed to (regarding health-focused devices).

 

Honestly I just see them going downhill. It'd be hard to compete with the likes of "Fitbit" as they had advertised and released devices to suit the market at the perfect time and have captured the majority of the audience, having been known as the "fitness watch" brand to put it simple.

 

However in my opinion I would like to see what they can come up with, but the CEO got too comfortable with the idea of being successful and forgot to keep looking forward rather than thinking they have made it already.

 

[Octagoncow]

That's too bad. I love my Pebble Time.

 

I'm not extremely shocked though. I mainly bought a Pebble because of the battery life. I think it lacks on just about every other front. With smartwatches getting better battery life every iteration, I'd be surprised if my next smart watch is a Pebble again,  unless Pebble does something dramatically different from what they've been doing.  

[LucidMew]

People are talking about not having a premium looking smartwatch, and I'm happy with my Huawei Smartwatch. I regularly get a full day of lounging around the house with it, and it charges like 70% in a half hour. And it's pretty stylish imho. Though it's pretty expensive at ~$400

[NickTheMajin]

1 hour ago, LucidMew said:

People are talking about not having a premium looking smartwatch, and I'm happy with my Huawei Smartwatch. I regularly get a full day of lounging around the house with it, and it charges like 70% in a half hour. And it's pretty stylish imho. Though it's pretty expensive at ~$400

 

Hidden Content

 

 

You're right. I like the look of the Huawei watches but they're the same price as the Apple watch for the one I'd be interested in its the same price I paid for my Apple Watch. $700. (The Rose Gold Stainless with Brown Leather strap is sexy as shit for a smart watch). 

[ShadowCaptain]

OR just implement the fitness stuff into the pebble

[Ashaira]

11 hours ago, Orangeator said:

Honestly, until the Watches will have a longer life span and not get out dated within a year or two, they will never become a permanent "fashion" accessory. Why would I spent $600 every other two years for a new watch because my old ones non replaceable battery cannot hold a charge when I could spend $1000 on a watch that will last me 60 years. 

60 years? must be a rly old model. most last a few hundred years now.

[deviant88]

they are doing so bad because of apple shit fame everyone and his mother buys apple no one cares about small companies these days, their best bet is to be aquired by huge corporations and lose control over everything but dont go bankrupt, they would probably be fired either way looks at nokia...