Pebble Time Steel: This Time We Mean Business

New photo of back side of Pebble Time Steel:

Pebble Time: Next level of Wearable with Smartstraps.

Recently announced Pebble Time and Time Steel are such wearables which can make Apple and other watch manufacturers worry.

Pebble says it is going to release APIs for Time series, which will allow developers to read and write to the port, have the device detect when a smartstrap is attached, and automatically launch apps and functions.

Now, this is a smartwatch ahead of its time. 

The connection can send and receive power and data to the device which opens the way for smartstraps. They’ll be able to replace the normal watch band and offer extra features via dedicated APIs.

Pebble says those APIs won’t be available to developers until “several months” after it starts shipping the Pebble Time in May but when they are, it’ll make a huge difference to how the device works.

The APIs will allow developers to read and write to the port, have the device detect when a smartstrap is attached, and automatically launch apps and functions.

Developers will be able to create accessories that extend the Pebble Time’s functionality beyond the sensors built in to its main body. The company uses the examples of adding GPS, a heart rate monitor, NFC and greater battery life but the potential is huge.

Pebble Time Steel is a dressed-up version of Pebble's latest watch

Today, Pebble is announcing the Pebble Time Steel, an upscale version of the Time. It's all metal — stainless steel. All the features of Pebble Time, dressed up and ready to go.

• CNC-finished 316L stainless steel casing.
• Premium leather and stainless steel strap.
• Up to 10 days of battery life.

Smartstraps are a big part of pebble's hardware platform plans. Pebble isn't actually releasing any smartstraps of its own at this time; it's simply releasing the necessary schematics that let other hardware makers create smartstraps for the Pebble Time and Time Steel. It's a major part of Pebble's grander plans to build both a hardware and software platform that outside developers and hardware makers can contribute to. This is the company's strategy to stay relevant in the coming wave of smartwatches, and it will be interesting to see if it's able to do just that.