Just as there was a more premium Steel version of the original Pebble smartatch, there’s now a premium version of the Pebble Time as well.
The Pebble Time Steel is a more premium version of the regular Pebble Time, featuring a stainless steel case, a larger battery that offers up to 10 days of regular use, and a display that's not bonded directly to the Gorilla Glass of the device. It’ll be available in Gunmetal Black, Silver Stainless, and Gold color options and will come with leather and stainless steel straps.
Outside of those few changes, the Pebble Time Steel is the same as the standard model. It’s got a color e-paper screen, it’s water resistant (though the leather band shouldn’t be submerged in water), it’s got a Gorilla Glass cover, and it accepts 22mm watch bands.
The Pebble Time Steel will begin shipping in July for $250. That’s a special Kickstarter price, though, because Pebble notes that the regular retail price for the Time Steel will be $299. If you’ve already backed the regular Pebble Time, you can switch to the Time Steel without losing your place in line.
Pebble today also revealed new Pebble smartstraps. These new smartstraps allow you to adds sensors and other goodies to your Pebble smartwatch by including them onto a strap rather than the Pebble watch itself. Some of the examples of features that can be added using a smartstrap include GPS, heart rate monitor, NFC, and a battery extension. Pebble notes that smartstraps can be easily swapped just like a regular strap.
Pebble’s smartstrap is open to hardware developers, meaning that anyone could create one if they’ve got the means. Pebble says that it might create its own smartstraps at some point, but for now it’s focused on expanding the platform for others.
The new Pebble Time Steel definitely looks more premium than the standard Pebble Time, and with its rounded corners and silver, black, and gold color options, it’s actually a bit reminiscent of the Apple Watch at a quick glance. Of course, the Pebble Time Steel is a bit cheaper than the Apple Watch, and it’s compatible with Android and as well as iOS.