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Pebble 2 unboxing and hands-on review

Pebble 2 unboxing: Pebble’s record-breaking smartwatch touched down back in 2013, but now its successor, the Pebble 2, is about to hit the market. We unboxed one so you know what you can expect.

The box itself is a wafer thin square of eye-catching green (likely colour-matched to the colour of Pebble inside) with a bold product photo on the front and some of the key features listed on the back, as well as mention of its cross-compatibility with both iOS and Android. Pebble has been building its products’ health and fitness capabilities over the last year via software updates and by striking key partnerships, all of which are encompassed under the Pebble Health platform.

The base of the box is sealed with an adhesive tab that directs you on which way to pull it open, unfolding the bottom flap and revealing another tab, this time with a red arrow. Pulling on this second tab then draws the entire contents of the box out in a single, contained unit, which grants Pebble extra points for presentation.

By lifting the lid on this new container you’re presented with the watch and its various components in a compartmentalised tray, as well as diagrammatical instructions detailing installation of the Pebble 2’s watchbands and charging mechanism along the inside of the lid.

Closer inspection also reveals that the inside of the lid actually unfolds yet further, offering additional instructions on how to pair your Pebble 2 to your smartphone and housing both the warranty information and some Pebble stickers, which is always appreciated.

The tray housing the Pebble 2 itself displays everything with a pleasing symmetry. The left side houses the straps, the right, the charging cable and in the centre the Pebble 2’s body.

The straps attach to the body by way of quick release pins, as seen on a host of other wearables including earlier Pebble smartwatches. The soft-touch rubber finish feels great under finger and makes for a comfortable wearing experience, even for days at a time. Our lime on dark grey sample also features white accents on the underside of the straps, which might dirty with wear, but offer a nice contrast with this box-fresh version.

The charging cable looks to use the same proprietary magnetic connector as the Pebble Time and Time Round, which easily attaches to the back of the Pebble 2’s body. It also features a flat ribbon cable, ensuring that the likelihood of getting tangled up is reduced to a minimum.

Then we come to the Pebble 2 itself. In-box the Gorilla Glass-topped ePaper LCD is covered by a watchface-laden screen protector, which peels off easily enough. To remove the Pebble from the tray there’s a small tab that when pulled raises the body out at an angle. Like the straps, our particular Pebble sample boasts a satin finish dark grey plastic across its front and a white plastic back highlighting this new wearable’s key features; its water resistance (up to 30 metres) and its optical heart rate sensor. The hardware controls run down either side and are colour-matched to the eye-catching lime green surrounding them.

The Pebble 2 looks to be a notable improvement on its predecessor, with a tighter, cleaner design, more premium materials and new fitness-centric functionality. It’s available for pre-order on the company’s website right now for £99.95 and should hit the market at around the end of October.

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