Pebble brings back its round watch, this time with a redesign

Pebble brought back its line of smartwatches last year and new models are already arriving quickly. The $199 Pebble Round 2, which releases in May, is actually a long-awaited sequel to the original Round Pebble watch I loved it ten years ago. With a round dial, replaceable straps, and a touchscreen, in 2016 I would have freaked out about this. It is available for pre-order now on The Pebble website.

In 2026, it’s still an intriguing proposition. Pebble’s return as an independent gadget company caught my eye this time around, not only because it now has a retro appeal, but also because these watches offer extreme battery life. The Round 2 doesn’t have the month-long battery life of other Pebbles, but the promised two weeks on a charge still far exceeds Apple and Google’s watches. The round screen is an always-on color e-paper, with a higher resolution than the old Round watch (1.3 inches, 260 x 260 pixels). The steel watch is 8mm thick and has a look that always catches my eye compared to Pixel watches.

Classic Pebble apps should work in Round 2, but it’s the promise of AI connections that could pave the way for new ideas. The Round 2 has two microphones for voice responses to messages and, like other Pebbles, it could connect to AI agents – which isn’t a native part of the watch, but it could be hacked to make that happen. It also works with Pebble’s one-button smart ring, the Index 01It’s also coming soon.

I’ll see all the Pebble watches and the ring at CES soon, so I’ll have more impressions then.