Pebble founder: Interaction with iPhones worse – because of Apple

The smartwatch pioneer Pebble is encountering familiar problems with iPhones during its relaunch. Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky explained to – that he had already learned from the first generation of Pebble how much more difficult it is to offer a "great smartwatch experience" on iOS, and that things have become even worse over the past eight years. Although Pebble will offer a "good app" for iOS for the two new models "Core 2 Duo" and "Core Time 2", it will absolutely not be able to provide the same functions as the Apple Watch.

No real messaging for other smartwatches

For other smartwatches, for example, it is impossible to send messages, explained Migicovsky. It is also not possible to respond to incoming messages – as long as the smartwatch is used with an iPhone. These restrictions also apply to watches from other manufacturers. In general, communication between the companion app on iOS and the PebbleOS devices remains limited; interaction with other iOS apps is unthinkable. If you accidentally close the Pebble app, you also cut the connection to the smartwatch and thus also its internet connection.

According to Migicovsky, other Apple restrictions prevent the integration of a small store for watch faces from other providers into the app. There are also restrictions that quickly become annoying in everyday life: the Pebble watches do not know when the wearer is looking at their iPhone – and therefore continue to vibrate when a – – message that they have already seen arrives.

Pebble app for iOS worse than for Android

Apple makes it "systematically almost impossible" for third-party providers of wearables to create a good experience for iPhone users. Apple refers to security and data protection, but Migicovsky emphasized that he himself sees things very differently. "It is clear that they are using their market power to lock customers into their ecosystem". This ultimately leads to less competition. Four out of ten prospective Pebble customers have an iPhone, writes the founder, so he will offer a "damn iOS app", but this will inevitably lag behind the Android version.

iPhone users should complain to Apple about these restrictions, Migicovsky advises. He himself also wants to use the opportunity in the EU to submit an interoperability request to Apple. On Thursday, the EU Commission already dictated new rules to Apple, forcing the company to open Apple Watch APIs to third-party providers in the coming months – but only within the EU.

(lbe)