Pebble Will Substitute Cracked Screens on Its Revived Smartwatch

After a number of Pebble Time 2 homeowners reported points with damaged screens, Core Devices—the brand new startup led by Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky—has announced this week it’s going to supply free smartwatch replacements to affected clients. While Core Devices is engaged on a number of new wearables, together with a spherical smartwatch and an AI-enabled ring, these {hardware} points are the primary seen velocity bump the corporate has confronted since reviving the Pebble model again in 2025.

On the Pebble subreddit, a number of Pebble Time 2 homeowners have reported the smartwatch’s display screen cracking underneath what seems to be regular use. One person noticed a crack after solely eight weeks sporting their watch, while another found their watch was cracked after placing their hand of their pocket. Even stranger, a third person’s Pebble Time 2 cracked underneath regular use with a display screen protector utilized.

It’s not clear what number of watches this problem might have an effect on, although in its weblog publish explaining the way it’s addressing {hardware} points, Core Devices notes it acquired solely 51 reviews of damaged screens thus far out of greater than 19,000 Pebble Time 2s within the wild. The Pebble Time 2 handed a number of sturdiness exams with out points earlier than going into mass manufacturing, “including drop testing, tumble testing, button press, strap stretch and bend, thermal cycling, and many other tests,” the corporate writes, however that doesn’t assist anybody coping with a cracked display screen now. That’s why it’s presently changing cracked Pebble Time 2s at no cost.

The firm is asking anybody with a cracked Pebble Time 2 display screen to connect a video of the display screen to a bug report within the Pebble app to start out the method of receiving a alternative. Core Devices says it goals to supply free replacements for so long as it may, however sooner or later sooner or later it’s going to shift to promoting “heavily discounted replacements.” The firm may supply additional Pebble Time 2 elements in order that watch homeowners that wish to restore their very own watch have that choice.

Cracked screens aren’t the one drawback Core Devices is monitoring on the Pebble Time 2. The firm writes that some watches have hassle with excessive energy consumption, together with points with the contact panel and buttons. The contact panel points may very well be mounted with a future software program replace, however the firm inspired clients with poor battery life or defective buttons to succeed in out for a alternative. 

Sending out probably damaged smartwatches is way from preferrred, however Core Devices is doing the proper factor by providing free replacements. It’s additionally in keeping with how the corporate has pitched its revived Pebble smartwatches from the beginning—as labors of affection, with some tough edges.