Pebble Belittles The Competition, Calls Dibs On Simplicity

Unless you've been asleep for the past 24 hours, it might have caught your attention that Apple has finally launched its own take on the smartwatch fad, not called an iWatch but simply an Apple Watch. Cupertino is just the latest but definitely one of the most high profile entries into a fledgling market segment that still has some scratching their heads, and Pebble claims to know why. It's because Apple, Samsung, and Google are practically putting smartphones on people's wrists, forgetting the watch part of the equation.

Granted, Pebble's product is called a smartwatch, but it is trying to distance itself from the rest of the gang. It's differentiating factor? Simplicity. It's not going to put maps, for example. Or fancy games. Or bubbles. Or too many apps. Pebble says that their main focus is on time. The rest are secondary. It goes even as far as saying that a smartwatch is not a gadget, though many, even probably its own user base, might disagree. It is definitely more than just a digital watch, as some watch lovers will argue to the death.

That said, Pebble is actually "upgrading" its product, with the colored Pebble Time making huge waves on Kickstarter. But even if the startup is conceding to some user requests, like a colored screen for example, they plan to remain true to the simplicity of their brand. Pebble doesn't deny that there will be those who would want a miniature smartphone on their wrist, or that there will be those willing to pay thousands of dollars for it. It just won't be going down that path and will stick to simple, easy to use functionality that their users wants. And if sales figures and user numbers are any indication, there is definitely a market for this line of thinking.

Pebble, however, isn't belittling Apple's entry into the race. In fact, it could indirectly benefit its own business in the long run. Apple is usually seen as a trend setter, regardless of whether there have been others before it. At the very least, Apple is validating the smartwatch market and could increase awareness of the wearable device market, which, in turn, could shine a spotlight on Pebble's simpler, not to mention more affordable, offering.

VIA: Trusted Reviews