Pebble is counting on a new interface to protect its smartwatch sales
Pebble was one of the first smartwatch makers to find success (it chalked up its millionth sale late last year), but there's no question that it's facing a lot of pressure. Between Android Wear and the impending Apple Watch, it's not clear that inexpensive e-paper watches have a healthy future. However, the fledgling wearable firm thinks it has a couple of aces up its sleeve. The company's Eric Migicovsky tells The Verge that 2015 Pebble watches will use a new interface "framework" (designed by the former webOS TV team) that gets away from the more app-centric models you see from Apple and Google. Apps will still play an important role -- they just won't be the centerpiece.
As for the watches themselves? You'll have to wait a while to see those, unfortunately, and it's not clear where the company is headed in terms of overall design. Pebble's focus so far has been on simple, long-lasting smartwatches that undercut the competition. However, its biggest rivals are increasingly betting on more expensive models with touchscreens, health sensors and other special tricks -- the question is whether or not Pebble will stay in the budget realm or go upscale to fight these challengers on their own turf.
