Pebble has had something of a rough financial time as of late, with the company laying off 25% of its workforce due to financial decline. With tight funds and the need to stay afloat, the smartwatch maker is having to think outside the box of its own country, the US, and think globally and go globally.
This has led to Pebble's partnership with Amazon India to bring Pebble's smartwatch lineup (Pebble Classic, Pebble Steel, Pebble Time, and Pebble Time Round) to India. Amazon India is the exclusive retailer of Pebble smartwatches for the Indian market, with the Pebble Time Classic priced at $90 USD (Rs. 5,999), the Pebble Time Steel at Rs. 15,999 ($240 USD), the Pebble Time at Rs. 9,999 ($150 USD), and the Pebble Time Round at Rs. 13,599 ($204 USD).
Smartwatch makers Apple and Samsung and Android OEMs under Google's Android Wear platform have combined to make things difficult for Pebble. Pebble was one of the earliest manufacturers to the game, with its cross-platform approach that let users pair one of its smartwatches with either an Android smartphone or an iPhone, but Google has responded by bringing Android Wear to iOS; Samsung is working on bringing iOS compatibility to the Gear S2, and, with Samsung's latest smartwatch looking far more attractive than Pebble, the early smartwatch maker has little to entice consumers.
One of the drawbacks for Pebble is that it doesn't make any other mobile devices to attract consumers. Sure, some consumers looking to save a few dollars may buy a Pebble over the competition, but consumers who want their devices to integrate best will buy from their current smartphone manufacturer: this means that iPhone users will buy an Apple Watch, and Samsung Galaxy users will buy a Samsung Gear S2. Where would that leave Pebble?
Perhaps it's the case that with Pebble's global push, the company will recover some profit lost as of late. At the same time, however, with the major mobile giants pushing their smartwatch platform worldwide, Pebble will be one of the earliest entrants who may get far less attention than it once did.
Are you a faithful Pebble user? Do you like the company's lineup? What do you think Pebble can do outside of selling its smartwatches in India, to help the company rebound financially?
