Fitbit to preserve Pebble's smartwatch functionality for at least a year

Fitbit's recent acquisition of Pebble didn't bring too many good news for Pebble users. Warranty support was cut for all devices and new models such as the Pebble Core and Time 2 didn't even make their way to the wrists of everyone that pre-ordered them. Not all is lost though, as Pebble developer Jon Barlow assured fans of the startup company that Fitbit "is going out of its way to keep Pebble software and services running through 2017".

But how does this statement translate into definite actions? For starters, Barlow and his team will make sure that all the elements of Pebble's ecosystem such as firmware, apps, app store, Timeline API's etc. will continue to work as intended for 2017 and maybe even for 2018. The development team will also adjust mobile apps so they can function without the need for cloud services, much like Pebble Health.

Independent developers are going to continue their work with the transition team in an effort to keep their smartwatches functional. No one knows exactly for how long will Pebble wearables continue to work past 2017, but it is certain that the community around the project will have a bigger role to play as time goes by.

source: Pebble via Engadget