The Pebble Steel Gold with the red band, now where have I seen that design before... Oh yeah, that's right, the ?WATCH EDITION.
Everywhere I look, almost every other tech manufacturer these days bases (or rips off) their design from Apple, it's disgusting. No one seems to know how to design anything new or unique. It seems when a new device is being conceived, the first two questions that seem to pop up with the designers is "Does Apple do anything similar?" and "Can we use their design language?".
Pathetic...
Wait a minute, no one was crying "Apple Watch ripoff" when the plastic Pebble Time was unveiled a few weeks ago -- nothing about the basic design of the watch has changed. Everyone WAS talking about how cheap it looked. But add gold color and a red band and all of a sudden Apple has been ripped off?
It superficially looks like the Apple Watch, no doubt because that's what they were going for in its design. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more such copies soon enough. Cue Samsung...
The difference, as always, resides in the details. The traditional way in which the strap attaches versus the more seamless integration of strap and watch body that Apple designed. The way the strap buckles, also very tranditional [read, not very innovative]. And then those buttons. Four in total, three on one side and one on the other. That's where the design and build aesthetics really begin to fall apart. People who have an eye for such things, which includes many men and pretty much every woman on the planet, will take note and be attracted to the Apple Watch. And then there's the functionality. I'm thinking it's not really a contest with regard to that aspect...
i agree about many of those subtle but nice details where ?Watch has class.
to my eye and heart, the ?Watch looks aesthetically much more appealing, which also proves that the pebble is not a rip-off. But this new pebble is hardly ugly, and its always on color display, and the 10 day battery life are great features.
I will probably buy both - still wish apple had an always on display, and mutual day battery life - then there would be no reason to buy pebble.
They're encroaching on ? Watch pricing territory which does not bode well for them, even with the Edition-looking version.
So what's a company to do? If priced too low the comments are "they're in a race to the bottom and can't win" and if it's competitively priced to Apple the comments are "they're too close to Apple's price, and they can't win" So what's the alternative? Give up and not make a product?
Wait a minute, no one was crying "Apple Watch ripoff" when the plastic Pebble Time was unveiled a few weeks ago -- nothing about the basic design of the watch has changed. Everyone WAS talking about how cheap it looked. But add gold color and a red band and all of a sudden Apple has been ripped off?
I'm guessing you didn't fully read my comment... I said most other tech companies either "base" their design, i.e. receive inspiration from, or "rip", i.e. completely and/or slavishly copy, the design language for their product, based on something Apple has.
This watch has undeniable design queues from the ?WATCH EDITION:
Is it a rip off? No. Is it inspired by it? Absolutely. Does it need to be? No. Is this the lazy R&D approach to designing a product? Yes.
I'm guessing you didn't fully read my comment... I said most other tech companies either "base" their design, i.e. receive inspiration from, or "rip", i.e. completely and/or slavishly copy, the design language for their product, based on something Apple has.
This watch has undeniable design queues from the ?WATCH EDITION:
Is it a rip off? No. Is it inspired by it? Absolutely. Does it need to be? No. Is this the lazy R&D approach to designing a product? Yes.
Maybe I need glasses, but I do not see a design inspiration or lazy R&D on the part of the Pebble Time or Pebble Time Steel in relation to the Apple Watch. I see a clear evolution of the original Pebble Steel. If anything the basic shape is closer to that of the piece of s**t LG G Watch that was unveiled in the spring than the Apple Watch (which was unveiled later).
As for the case coloring; gold, black, and natural steel colors are pretty commonplace now in smartwatch land and have been for watches for decades.
The only thing I will knock Pebble for here is for choosing that specific gold/red color combination to showcase the watch -- that is the only mimicry of Apple that I find here, but I don't think that choice of colors for promotional shots is the result of lazy R&D.
Maybe I need glasses, but I do not see a design inspiration or lazy R&D on the part of the Pebble Time or Pebble Time Steel in relation to the Apple Watch. I see a clear evolution of the original Pebble Steel. If anything the basic shape is closer to that of <span style="line-height:1.4em;">the piece of s**t LG G Watch that was unveiled in the spring than the Apple Watch (which was unveiled later).</span>
As for the case coloring; gold, black, and natural steel colors are pretty commonplace now in smartwatch land and have been for watches for decades.
The only thing I will knock Pebble for here is for choosing that specific gold/red color combination to showcase the watch -- that is the only mimicry of Apple that I find here, but I don't think that choice of colors for promotional shots is the result of lazy R&D.
That LG was a royal POS, it still is a POS, just like pretty much every Android watch on the market at present. Even if we go with your stance that Pebble didn't take many queues from Apple on this redesign (which IMSO they did), they could've at least showcased the new models using a colour scheme that doesn't directly come from the ?WATCH EDITION. For whatever reason they did, perhaps to deflect people's attention from ?WATCH, who knows.
I look around the Swiss time industry, and I rapidly see them trying to come out with "smart" watches, when just a few months ago they said they had no interest in the category, and that they believe ?WATCH wasn't competition for them. Now look at them! This product hasn't even been released yet, and it's already causing upheaval in the industry!
I've always liked the idea of Pebble watches, but very surprised by the pricepoint. Only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch.... surely this won't work in the longterm?????
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alcstarheel
They're encroaching on ? Watch pricing territory which does not bode well for them, even with the Edition-looking version.
Again Pebble is a true and worthy competitor. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to be $500. Sure the Apple Watch made with aluminum will be close in price but that is a less premium material. You have to compare apples to apples.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRaider2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mazda 3s
Agreed, a smartwatch should give you quick, glancable information. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be staring lovingly at tiny smartwatch display. Now my smartphone or tablet, that's a different story. I'd gladly take an inferior e-paper display that provides useful information and allows for week-long battery life than a gorgeous display that will last a day.
For people, like me, who are going to being wearing these instead of their Tag's or Rolex's a pretty display is a must. When I go to look at the time, I want to be reminded why I stopped wearing those other gorgeous watches. It's not just about functionality, it's also about style. At least that's the approach Apple took.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RadarTheKat
It superficially looks like the Apple Watch, no doubt because that's what they were going for in its design. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more such copies soon enough. Cue Samsung...
The difference, as always, resides in the details. The traditional way in which the strap attaches versus the more seamless integration of strap and watch body that Apple designed. The way the strap buckles, also very tranditional [read, not very innovative]. And then those buttons. Four in total, three on one side and one on the other. That's where the design and build aesthetics really begin to fall apart. People who have an eye for such things, which includes many men and pretty much every woman on the planet, will take note and be attracted to the Apple Watch. And then there's the functionality. I'm thinking it's not really a contest with regard to that aspect...
I don't think you fully read about the capabilities of the Pebble Watch. The strap attaches in a way that appears traditional but actually allows it to receive and transmit data or power from and to the Pebble Watch. Possible innovations mentioned were a GPS/Heartrate unit that displays via the Pebble. A strap with extended battery, etc. Perhaps there will be a NFC strap for purchases. The straps can be much more than just a strap.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
Quote:
Originally Posted by alcstarheel
They're encroaching on ? Watch pricing territory which does not bode well for them, even with the Edition-looking version.
So what's a company to do? If priced too low the comments are "they're in a race to the bottom and can't win" and if it's competitively priced to Apple the comments are "they're too close to Apple's price, and they can't win" So what's the alternative? Give up and not make a product?
Good points and it is clear Pebble isn't just a copycat. They have made a different solution with a different set of priorities that utilizes a different interface completely.
I was quite impressed with their timeline interface. Allowing apps to insert pins and information into the timeline makes sense. Reviewing and working with information on a timeline makes sense when using.....a watch. Likewise the display technology and battery life reflects different priorities and trade-offs. The Pebble is always on but no touch screen. The Apple Watch has a touch screen but does not have it always on. They aren't just taking an Apple solution and copying it with inferior materials and wonky software. They have their own solution and the materials of the case and band beat Apple at similar pricepoints.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
Again Pebble is a true and worthy competitor. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to be $500. Sure the Apple Watch made with aluminum will be close in price but that is a less premium material. You have to compare apples to apples.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you fully read about the capabilities of the Pebble Watch. The strap attaches in a way that appears traditional but actually allows it to receive and transmit data or power from and to the Pebble Watch. Possible innovations mentioned were a GPS/Heartrate unit that displays via the Pebble. A strap with extended battery, etc. Perhaps there will be a NFC strap for purchases. The straps can be much more than just a strap.
True, with regards to the Apple Watch being considerably more expensive than the Pebble Time Steel, but I was talking about the Apple Watch in general which includes the Apple Watch Sport, which is not comparable with the basic Pebble Time as thats plastic and the Sport is metal, albeit Aluminium.
Apple always command a premium price for their products, this is to be expected nowadays, hence the reason, for any other comparable product to sell well, they either need to innovate better than Apple or be cheap. At the moment the Pebble Time Steel doesn't innovate considerably more to warrant the higher pricepoint IMHO.
Beauty & Style are in the eye of the beholder, each to their own. In my opinion, the Pebble Time Steel doesn't look stylish or beautiful enough to compete with the Apple Watch in pricepoint. For example the Asus Zenwatch is a good look watch at a good price. This is available at the same price as the Time Steel, yet looks luxury, whereas the Time Steel does not.
The additional innovations surrounding the strap sound good, but may add extra weight, girth and will defo add more cost to the device as a whole.
The best things about the Pebble Time Steel is the battery life by far, but what Pebble may have done is pushed functionality more than design, whereas a middle ground would have been a much better place to be for me.
Wait a minute, no one was crying "Apple Watch ripoff" when the plastic Pebble Time was unveiled a few weeks ago -- nothing about the basic design of the watch has changed. Everyone WAS talking about how cheap it looked. But add gold color and a red band and all of a sudden Apple has been ripped off?
quite. the color choices indicate a lack of imagination, even in the marketing -- the promo shot is very similar to apple's promo shot w/ the linked steel watch in the middle, flanked by the gold/red model on the right.
you cant talk past it -- they at least tak visual cues and marketing ideas from apple's lead. that means "follower"
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
try again.
You may be right, but machines can be programmed to have excellent attention to detail so I'm not sure that follows.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you understood my comment. I never said the Pebble isn't decent looking. But to replace luxury, Swiss watches it isn't even in the discussion. So far only Apple Watch can even come close to replacing my Tag that I wear everyday. Some people don't care about style as much, but I'm not wearing that Pebble to work everyday let alone out to a nice dinner wearing a sport coat. Just doesn't speak 'class' to me. The Apple Watch with its beautiful retina OLED display with deep blacks so you can't even distinguish where the bezel meets the display does.
True, with regards to the Apple Watch being considerably more expensive than the Pebble Time Steel, but I was talking about the Apple Watch in general which includes the Apple Watch Sport, which is not comparable with the basic Pebble Time as thats plastic and the Sport is metal, albeit Aluminium.
Apple always command a premium price for their products, this is to be expected nowadays, hence the reason, for any other comparable product to sell well, they either need to innovate better than Apple or be cheap. At the moment the Pebble Time Steel doesn't innovate considerably more to warrant the higher pricepoint IMHO.
Beauty & Style are in the eye of the beholder, each to their own. In my opinion, the Pebble Time Steel doesn't look stylish or beautiful enough to compete with the Apple Watch in pricepoint. For example the Asus Zenwatch is a good look watch at a good price. This is available at the same price as the Time Steel, yet looks luxury, whereas the Time Steel does not.
The additional innovations surrounding the strap sound good, but may add extra weight, girth and will defo add more cost to the device as a whole.
The best things about the Pebble Time Steel is the battery life by far, but what Pebble may have done is pushed functionality more than design, whereas a middle ground would have been a much better place to be for me.
Most people declare that Apple commands a premium. I disagree. They just don't cheap out a product and compete where there are no profits. They provide a good value and often offer a bit of a premium for less than most premium products. That was why I argued that the Beats buy was a good one. It isn't that Beats are the best headphones or the most expensive but they were good headphones for $200 in a market where no one realized they wanted $200 headphones before. Apple does this often as well.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NolaMacGuy
Quote:
Originally Posted by trumptman
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
try again.
Perhaps there will be one band professionally handcrafted by an artisan craftsman. The vast majority however will be made by machines and assembled just like Apple products. Apple traditionally has higher tolerances (tighter fit) and designs their products around being pretty reliable. I'm not sure that works as well with a watch band though versus say plastic versus aluminum phone casings.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RedRaider2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by trumptman
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you understood my comment. I never said the Pebble isn't decent looking. But to replace luxury, Swiss watches it isn't even in the discussion. So far only Apple Watch can even come close to replacing my Tag that I wear everyday. Some people don't care about style as much, but I'm not wearing that Pebble to work everyday let alone out to a nice dinner wearing a sport coat. Just doesn't speak 'class' to me. The Apple Watch with its beautiful retina OLED display with deep blacks so you can't even distinguish where the bezel meets the display does.
I understood and conceded the point. The Pebble Watch will not be great jewelry. It will however be a good, competitive smartwatch. The Apple approach here with consumer electronics as luxury jewelry hasn't been tried successfully before, even by Apple so it is no guaranteed homerun. People have already mentioned, as a legitimate concern, what happens when the CE portion of the watch is obsolete in a couple years while the case that holds it is still worth thousands of dollars?
Apple is breaking new ground in the luxury direction. Pebble is going in a different direction. They aren't cheap and just going for the bottom of the barrel. They are attempting a different solution with different priorities. Their approach might not work either or something might work as a combination of the two.
As an example Apple did not build phablet/large iPhones for a prolonged period of time compared with the rest of the market. When they did start building them there was huge demand but while that demand was there, it hasn't stopped iPad sales from falling. There was one win and one other solution that hasn't been as big a win.
We do know this. Pebble last year shipped more smartwatches than all of Androidwear sales combined. That is an achievement in my book. They have shown innovation and improvement with their next generation of watches. They aren't just copying Apple or even copying what they think Apple might do before Apple can do it with the fit and finish and volume of sales we expect from Apple. They are doing a different interface, screen, etc. and are catering to an entirely different set of priorities.
Apple is a great company but that doesn't mean they always have the best answer or show the most innovation. They've gotten beat by Amazon at ebook sales because Amazon was an innovator with the Kindle and they continue to build on their lead there. Apple has gotten worked over pretty badly in the areas of streaming be it Netflix or Spotify where both again are good products and good values that continue to push ahead.
Pebble strikes me as similar.
I believe Apple Watch numbers will not be anything huge out the gate. I think Apple will take the approach that it is more about fashion than function in part to justify the low numbers. I'm not sure there are huge numbers for smartwatches now or ever. Apple will do well but that doesn't mean others can't have a good outcome and be profitable as well.
So what's a company to do? If priced too low the comments are "they're in a race to the bottom and can't win" and if it's competitively priced to Apple the comments are "they're too close to Apple's price, and they can't win" So what's the alternative? Give up and not make a product?
Well I made a comment about their price being close to Apple's not about the other end of the spectrum. Being close to Apple in price puts them in a tough spot. This is Apple we're talking about. You have a kickstarter company trying to compete in a certain price range. I understand Samsung/Google giving them a challenge at the high end price points but not Pebble. Maybe their time will come but definitely not at this point. Seeing an Apple product and a Pebble product side by side with similar pricing I bet most go with the Apple product.
And why does it have to be a race to the bottom? You conveniently picked the ends of the spectrum. Pebble doesn't have to go there. They can have a moderate price point and be fine I believe. In this case I'd see a race to the bottom as selling for $100 or so. I wouldn't expect Pebble to do that.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
Again Pebble is a true and worthy competitor. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to be $500. Sure the Apple Watch made with aluminum will be close in price but that is a less premium material. You have to compare apples to apples.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you fully read about the capabilities of the Pebble Watch. The strap attaches in a way that appears traditional but actually allows it to receive and transmit data or power from and to the Pebble Watch. Possible innovations mentioned were a GPS/Heartrate unit that displays via the Pebble. A strap with extended battery, etc. Perhaps there will be a NFC strap for purchases. The straps can be much more than just a strap.
Good points and it is clear Pebble isn't just a copycat. They have made a different solution with a different set of priorities that utilizes a different interface completely.
I was quite impressed with their timeline interface. Allowing apps to insert pins and information into the timeline makes sense. Reviewing and working with information on a timeline makes sense when using.....a watch. Likewise the display technology and battery life reflects different priorities and trade-offs. The Pebble is always on but no touch screen. The Apple Watch has a touch screen but does not have it always on. They aren't just taking an Apple solution and copying it with inferior materials and wonky software. They have their own solution and the materials of the case and band beat Apple at similar pricepoints.
I don't think they're a copycat. I just don't think what they have to offer is better than Apple in the potential price ranges. Plus, the company being so nascent will give many people pause, myself included. I personally would let others go through the teething process with Pebble to see if they provide a viable product at that price point.
Well I made a comment about their price being close to Apple's not about the other end of the spectrum. Being close to Apple in price puts them in a tough spot. This is Apple we're talking about. You have a kickstarter company trying to compete on price. I understand Samsung/Google giving them a challenge at the high end price points but not Pebble. Maybe their time will come but definitely not at this point. Seeing an Apple product and a Pebble product side by side with similar pricing I bet most go with the Apple product.
To the contrary, Pebble's latest has been fully funded by their Kickstarter. Sales are not an issue with them.
Agreed, I'm not sure something looking like a 1990's LCD can compete in any way with a gorgeous retina display...
It competes by lasting 7 days not less than 1. Which is you know, useful in a watch.
Looks great, delivers on the functions, lasts a long time, has expandability, compatible with iOS and Android, already has a strong developer base and comes from a company that has sold more units than Android Wear OEM's
Well I made a comment about their price being close to Apple's not about the other end of the spectrum. Being close to Apple in price puts them in a tough spot. This is Apple we're talking about. You have a kickstarter company trying to compete in a certain price range. I understand Samsung/Google giving them a challenge at the high end price points but not Pebble. Maybe their time will come but definitely not at this point. Seeing an Apple product and a Pebble product side by side with similar pricing I bet most go with the Apple product.
And why does it have to be a race to the bottom? You conveniently picked the ends of the spectrum. Pebble doesn't have to go there. They can have a moderate price point and be fine I believe. In this case I'd see a race to the bottom as selling for $100 or so. I wouldn't expect Pebble to do that.
How do you know that they could've priced it moderately? Pebble is platform agnostic, so it doesn't necessarily compete directly with the Apple Watch. It's a good choice for people that aren't tied to any one OS.
I have a matte black Pebble Steel and it looks like hell after just a few months of use, the paint/coating is wearing off the metal band, the watch has shiny spots on the corners of the screen... it has no where near the fit and finish of what the Apple Watch will have.
That being said, I backed the Pebble Steel Metal, I trade stocks actively and the "always on" stock ticker is a wet dream for my use case scenario. I'll be getting a SS model that will hopefully age better than the matte black version I have now.
Comments
The Pebble Steel Gold with the red band, now where have I seen that design before... Oh yeah, that's right, the ?WATCH EDITION.
Everywhere I look, almost every other tech manufacturer these days bases (or rips off) their design from Apple, it's disgusting. No one seems to know how to design anything new or unique. It seems when a new device is being conceived, the first two questions that seem to pop up with the designers is "Does Apple do anything similar?" and "Can we use their design language?".
Pathetic...
Wait a minute, no one was crying "Apple Watch ripoff" when the plastic Pebble Time was unveiled a few weeks ago -- nothing about the basic design of the watch has changed. Everyone WAS talking about how cheap it looked. But add gold color and a red band and all of a sudden Apple has been ripped off?
https://www.google.de/search?q=red+gold+rectangle+watch&espv=2&biw=1861&bih=993&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=AMf1VJeuKYLEOKD-gJgO&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ
It superficially looks like the Apple Watch, no doubt because that's what they were going for in its design. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more such copies soon enough. Cue Samsung...
The difference, as always, resides in the details. The traditional way in which the strap attaches versus the more seamless integration of strap and watch body that Apple designed. The way the strap buckles, also very tranditional [read, not very innovative]. And then those buttons. Four in total, three on one side and one on the other. That's where the design and build aesthetics really begin to fall apart. People who have an eye for such things, which includes many men and pretty much every woman on the planet, will take note and be attracted to the Apple Watch. And then there's the functionality. I'm thinking it's not really a contest with regard to that aspect...
i agree about many of those subtle but nice details where ?Watch has class.
to my eye and heart, the ?Watch looks aesthetically much more appealing, which also proves that the pebble is not a rip-off. But this new pebble is hardly ugly, and its always on color display, and the 10 day battery life are great features.
I will probably buy both - still wish apple had an always on display, and mutual day battery life - then there would be no reason to buy pebble.
So what's a company to do? If priced too low the comments are "they're in a race to the bottom and can't win" and if it's competitively priced to Apple the comments are "they're too close to Apple's price, and they can't win" So what's the alternative? Give up and not make a product?
This watch has undeniable design queues from the ?WATCH EDITION:
Is it a rip off? No. Is it inspired by it? Absolutely. Does it need to be? No. Is this the lazy R&D approach to designing a product? Yes.
I'm guessing you didn't fully read my comment... I said most other tech companies either "base" their design, i.e. receive inspiration from, or "rip", i.e. completely and/or slavishly copy, the design language for their product, based on something Apple has.
This watch has undeniable design queues from the ?WATCH EDITION:
Is it a rip off? No. Is it inspired by it? Absolutely. Does it need to be? No. Is this the lazy R&D approach to designing a product? Yes.
Maybe I need glasses, but I do not see a design inspiration or lazy R&D on the part of the Pebble Time or Pebble Time Steel in relation to the Apple Watch. I see a clear evolution of the original Pebble Steel. If anything the basic shape is closer to that of the piece of s**t LG G Watch that was unveiled in the spring than the Apple Watch (which was unveiled later).
As for the case coloring; gold, black, and natural steel colors are pretty commonplace now in smartwatch land and have been for watches for decades.
The only thing I will knock Pebble for here is for choosing that specific gold/red color combination to showcase the watch -- that is the only mimicry of Apple that I find here, but I don't think that choice of colors for promotional shots is the result of lazy R&D.
I look around the Swiss time industry, and I rapidly see them trying to come out with "smart" watches, when just a few months ago they said they had no interest in the category, and that they believe ?WATCH wasn't competition for them. Now look at them! This product hasn't even been released yet, and it's already causing upheaval in the industry!
I've always liked the idea of Pebble watches, but very surprised by the pricepoint. Only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch.... surely this won't work in the longterm?????
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
They're encroaching on ? Watch pricing territory which does not bode well for them, even with the Edition-looking version.
Again Pebble is a true and worthy competitor. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to be $500. Sure the Apple Watch made with aluminum will be close in price but that is a less premium material. You have to compare apples to apples.
Agreed, a smartwatch should give you quick, glancable information. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be staring lovingly at tiny smartwatch display. Now my smartphone or tablet, that's a different story. I'd gladly take an inferior e-paper display that provides useful information and allows for week-long battery life than a gorgeous display that will last a day.
For people, like me, who are going to being wearing these instead of their Tag's or Rolex's a pretty display is a must. When I go to look at the time, I want to be reminded why I stopped wearing those other gorgeous watches. It's not just about functionality, it's also about style. At least that's the approach Apple took.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
It superficially looks like the Apple Watch, no doubt because that's what they were going for in its design. I have a feeling we'll be seeing more such copies soon enough. Cue Samsung...
The difference, as always, resides in the details. The traditional way in which the strap attaches versus the more seamless integration of strap and watch body that Apple designed. The way the strap buckles, also very tranditional [read, not very innovative]. And then those buttons. Four in total, three on one side and one on the other. That's where the design and build aesthetics really begin to fall apart. People who have an eye for such things, which includes many men and pretty much every woman on the planet, will take note and be attracted to the Apple Watch. And then there's the functionality. I'm thinking it's not really a contest with regard to that aspect...
I don't think you fully read about the capabilities of the Pebble Watch. The strap attaches in a way that appears traditional but actually allows it to receive and transmit data or power from and to the Pebble Watch. Possible innovations mentioned were a GPS/Heartrate unit that displays via the Pebble. A strap with extended battery, etc. Perhaps there will be a NFC strap for purchases. The straps can be much more than just a strap.
They're encroaching on ? Watch pricing territory which does not bode well for them, even with the Edition-looking version.
So what's a company to do? If priced too low the comments are "they're in a race to the bottom and can't win" and if it's competitively priced to Apple the comments are "they're too close to Apple's price, and they can't win" So what's the alternative? Give up and not make a product?
Good points and it is clear Pebble isn't just a copycat. They have made a different solution with a different set of priorities that utilizes a different interface completely.
I was quite impressed with their timeline interface. Allowing apps to insert pins and information into the timeline makes sense. Reviewing and working with information on a timeline makes sense when using.....a watch. Likewise the display technology and battery life reflects different priorities and trade-offs. The Pebble is always on but no touch screen. The Apple Watch has a touch screen but does not have it always on. They aren't just taking an Apple solution and copying it with inferior materials and wonky software. They have their own solution and the materials of the case and band beat Apple at similar pricepoints.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
Again Pebble is a true and worthy competitor. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to be $500. Sure the Apple Watch made with aluminum will be close in price but that is a less premium material. You have to compare apples to apples.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you fully read about the capabilities of the Pebble Watch. The strap attaches in a way that appears traditional but actually allows it to receive and transmit data or power from and to the Pebble Watch. Possible innovations mentioned were a GPS/Heartrate unit that displays via the Pebble. A strap with extended battery, etc. Perhaps there will be a NFC strap for purchases. The straps can be much more than just a strap.
True, with regards to the Apple Watch being considerably more expensive than the Pebble Time Steel, but I was talking about the Apple Watch in general which includes the Apple Watch Sport, which is not comparable with the basic Pebble Time as thats plastic and the Sport is metal, albeit Aluminium.
Apple always command a premium price for their products, this is to be expected nowadays, hence the reason, for any other comparable product to sell well, they either need to innovate better than Apple or be cheap. At the moment the Pebble Time Steel doesn't innovate considerably more to warrant the higher pricepoint IMHO.
Beauty & Style are in the eye of the beholder, each to their own. In my opinion, the Pebble Time Steel doesn't look stylish or beautiful enough to compete with the Apple Watch in pricepoint. For example the Asus Zenwatch is a good look watch at a good price. This is available at the same price as the Time Steel, yet looks luxury, whereas the Time Steel does not.
The additional innovations surrounding the strap sound good, but may add extra weight, girth and will defo add more cost to the device as a whole.
The best things about the Pebble Time Steel is the battery life by far, but what Pebble may have done is pushed functionality more than design, whereas a middle ground would have been a much better place to be for me.
They actually look pretty good.
those colors, they look familiar....i cant place my finger on it. oh yeah, here:
Wait a minute, no one was crying "Apple Watch ripoff" when the plastic Pebble Time was unveiled a few weeks ago -- nothing about the basic design of the watch has changed. Everyone WAS talking about how cheap it looked. But add gold color and a red band and all of a sudden Apple has been ripped off?
quite. the color choices indicate a lack of imagination, even in the marketing -- the promo shot is very similar to apple's promo shot w/ the linked steel watch in the middle, flanked by the gold/red model on the right.
you cant talk past it -- they at least tak visual cues and marketing ideas from apple's lead. that means "follower"
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
try again.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
try again.
You may be right, but machines can be programmed to have excellent attention to detail so I'm not sure that follows.
I don't think you understood my comment. I never said the Pebble isn't decent looking. But to replace luxury, Swiss watches it isn't even in the discussion. So far only Apple Watch can even come close to replacing my Tag that I wear everyday. Some people don't care about style as much, but I'm not wearing that Pebble to work everyday let alone out to a nice dinner wearing a sport coat. Just doesn't speak 'class' to me. The Apple Watch with its beautiful retina OLED display with deep blacks so you can't even distinguish where the bezel meets the display does.
True, with regards to the Apple Watch being considerably more expensive than the Pebble Time Steel, but I was talking about the Apple Watch in general which includes the Apple Watch Sport, which is not comparable with the basic Pebble Time as thats plastic and the Sport is metal, albeit Aluminium.
Apple always command a premium price for their products, this is to be expected nowadays, hence the reason, for any other comparable product to sell well, they either need to innovate better than Apple or be cheap. At the moment the Pebble Time Steel doesn't innovate considerably more to warrant the higher pricepoint IMHO.
Beauty & Style are in the eye of the beholder, each to their own. In my opinion, the Pebble Time Steel doesn't look stylish or beautiful enough to compete with the Apple Watch in pricepoint. For example the Asus Zenwatch is a good look watch at a good price. This is available at the same price as the Time Steel, yet looks luxury, whereas the Time Steel does not.
The additional innovations surrounding the strap sound good, but may add extra weight, girth and will defo add more cost to the device as a whole.
The best things about the Pebble Time Steel is the battery life by far, but what Pebble may have done is pushed functionality more than design, whereas a middle ground would have been a much better place to be for me.
Most people declare that Apple commands a premium. I disagree. They just don't cheap out a product and compete where there are no profits. They provide a good value and often offer a bit of a premium for less than most premium products. That was why I argued that the Beats buy was a good one. It isn't that Beats are the best headphones or the most expensive but they were good headphones for $200 in a market where no one realized they wanted $200 headphones before. Apple does this often as well.
It isn't only $50 cheaper than the Apple Watch. The Apple Watch has made it clear that better materials command a better price. The Apple Watch in stainless steel is estimated to go for $500. That means it would be $200 cheaper for the same materials.
.
first, there are different grades of alloys. second, there is fit & finish -- i havent seen either one yet, but im certain the Apple Watch will be of higher quality fit & finish. i believe they said it took a person all day to hand-craft the steel linked band, whereas the Peeble Steel is likely churned out of a machine w/ less attention to detail.
try again.
Perhaps there will be one band professionally handcrafted by an artisan craftsman. The vast majority however will be made by machines and assembled just like Apple products. Apple traditionally has higher tolerances (tighter fit) and designs their products around being pretty reliable. I'm not sure that works as well with a watch band though versus say plastic versus aluminum phone casings.
I believe the Pebble is as stylish as a watch at that price point can be. It might not be great jewelry but it will be a good, competitive smartwatch.
I don't think you understood my comment. I never said the Pebble isn't decent looking. But to replace luxury, Swiss watches it isn't even in the discussion. So far only Apple Watch can even come close to replacing my Tag that I wear everyday. Some people don't care about style as much, but I'm not wearing that Pebble to work everyday let alone out to a nice dinner wearing a sport coat. Just doesn't speak 'class' to me. The Apple Watch with its beautiful retina OLED display with deep blacks so you can't even distinguish where the bezel meets the display does.
I understood and conceded the point. The Pebble Watch will not be great jewelry. It will however be a good, competitive smartwatch. The Apple approach here with consumer electronics as luxury jewelry hasn't been tried successfully before, even by Apple so it is no guaranteed homerun. People have already mentioned, as a legitimate concern, what happens when the CE portion of the watch is obsolete in a couple years while the case that holds it is still worth thousands of dollars?
Apple is breaking new ground in the luxury direction. Pebble is going in a different direction. They aren't cheap and just going for the bottom of the barrel. They are attempting a different solution with different priorities. Their approach might not work either or something might work as a combination of the two.
As an example Apple did not build phablet/large iPhones for a prolonged period of time compared with the rest of the market. When they did start building them there was huge demand but while that demand was there, it hasn't stopped iPad sales from falling. There was one win and one other solution that hasn't been as big a win.
We do know this. Pebble last year shipped more smartwatches than all of Androidwear sales combined. That is an achievement in my book. They have shown innovation and improvement with their next generation of watches. They aren't just copying Apple or even copying what they think Apple might do before Apple can do it with the fit and finish and volume of sales we expect from Apple. They are doing a different interface, screen, etc. and are catering to an entirely different set of priorities.
Apple is a great company but that doesn't mean they always have the best answer or show the most innovation. They've gotten beat by Amazon at ebook sales because Amazon was an innovator with the Kindle and they continue to build on their lead there. Apple has gotten worked over pretty badly in the areas of streaming be it Netflix or Spotify where both again are good products and good values that continue to push ahead.
Pebble strikes me as similar.
I believe Apple Watch numbers will not be anything huge out the gate. I think Apple will take the approach that it is more about fashion than function in part to justify the low numbers. I'm not sure there are huge numbers for smartwatches now or ever. Apple will do well but that doesn't mean others can't have a good outcome and be profitable as well.
Well I made a comment about their price being close to Apple's not about the other end of the spectrum. Being close to Apple in price puts them in a tough spot. This is Apple we're talking about. You have a kickstarter company trying to compete in a certain price range. I understand Samsung/Google giving them a challenge at the high end price points but not Pebble. Maybe their time will come but definitely not at this point. Seeing an Apple product and a Pebble product side by side with similar pricing I bet most go with the Apple product.
And why does it have to be a race to the bottom? You conveniently picked the ends of the spectrum. Pebble doesn't have to go there. They can have a moderate price point and be fine I believe. In this case I'd see a race to the bottom as selling for $100 or so. I wouldn't expect Pebble to do that.
I don't think they're a copycat. I just don't think what they have to offer is better than Apple in the potential price ranges. Plus, the company being so nascent will give many people pause, myself included. I personally would let others go through the teething process with Pebble to see if they provide a viable product at that price point.
Well I made a comment about their price being close to Apple's not about the other end of the spectrum. Being close to Apple in price puts them in a tough spot. This is Apple we're talking about. You have a kickstarter company trying to compete on price. I understand Samsung/Google giving them a challenge at the high end price points but not Pebble. Maybe their time will come but definitely not at this point. Seeing an Apple product and a Pebble product side by side with similar pricing I bet most go with the Apple product.
To the contrary, Pebble's latest has been fully funded by their Kickstarter. Sales are not an issue with them.
Agreed, I'm not sure something looking like a 1990's LCD can compete in any way with a gorgeous retina display...
It competes by lasting 7 days not less than 1. Which is you know, useful in a watch.
Looks great, delivers on the functions, lasts a long time, has expandability, compatible with iOS and Android, already has a strong developer base and comes from a company that has sold more units than Android Wear OEM's
Bravo. Let's give them a damn honest bravo.
How do you know that they could've priced it moderately? Pebble is platform agnostic, so it doesn't necessarily compete directly with the Apple Watch. It's a good choice for people that aren't tied to any one OS.
I have a matte black Pebble Steel and it looks like hell after just a few months of use, the paint/coating is wearing off the metal band, the watch has shiny spots on the corners of the screen... it has no where near the fit and finish of what the Apple Watch will have.
That being said, I backed the Pebble Steel Metal, I trade stocks actively and the "always on" stock ticker is a wet dream for my use case scenario. I'll be getting a SS model that will hopefully age better than the matte black version I have now.
I never knew apple was the first people to put red with gold together.