Pebble Time, the new smartwatch from the Kickstarter superstar, might be headed to wrists soon, but if you own an iPhone, you might be out of luck.
According to an email sent out to Time backers on Kickstarter, the version of the Pebble iOS software needed to connect and use Pebble’s newest iteration is still sitting in the gray no-man’s land of Apple approval; it’s been there for 43 days with no end in sight.
This is yet another setback for the platform-agnostic smartwatch, which has supported both iPhone and Android users from the start. Just last month, Cupertino began rejecting apps that mention the Pebble — a third-party mobile platform — in their description. When the fist Pebble smartwatches came out, there was a similar delay, too.
The Pebble Time Android app seems ready to go, though.
Hopefully, this is just an oversight on Apple’s part, rather than a plan to fully stamp out any other smartwatches available to consumers. To be honest, Apple Watch has nothing to worry about from Pebble; it’s first iteration isn’t any kind of competition.
Source: Yahoo!
Rob LeFebvre is an Anchorage, Alaska-based writer and editor who has contributed to various tech, gaming and iOS sites, including 148Apps, Creative Screenwriting, Shelf-Awareness, VentureBeat, and Paste Magazine. Feel free to find Rob on Twitter @roblef, and send him a cookie once in a while; he’ll really appreciate it.
16 responses to “Apple taking its sweet time approving Pebble iOS software”
the delay its only of 2 weeks.
The delay of 43 days is for an update to the old pebble app.
the new pebble app is waiting for review only since May22.
I’m a pretty loyal Apple customer, but they shouldn’t hamper another form of tech using iOS, that’s bad juju.
Apple is a communist company.
Thanks for bestowing your wisdom upon us all.
If you don’t want peoples opinion then you are in the wrong place.
If you can’t handle peoples responses to your baiting opinions, you’re in the wrong place.
Isn’t that an oxymoron?
Well first communists do have companies. Secondly it was a metaphor. For instance…Microsoft tries to open their OS up for developers and users to use and modify the way they want. Apples products are much more closed and controlled. Apple tells developers and users how they are going to use their products.
Right, which is why using the term “communist” is completely opposite to what Apple is and does, and is a horrible metaphor.
Yes. Yes it is.
“To be honest, Apple Watch has nothing to worry about from Pebble.” Except that the Pebble/Pebble Time is a better smartwatch in every way. I’ve been a Pebble user for a little over a year now, and I’ve been an iPhone user since the first generation. When the Time was announced, I jumped at the opportunity. If Apple truly aims to block / hinder Pebble, they will lose me as a customer.
What specifically makes Pebble/Pebble Time a “better smart watch in every way?”
Think “better in every way” is a bit much. Both, heck all, smartwatches has something to offer.
Pebble does excel in battery life but it seems many are not having an issue with getting through the day with their Apple Watch. The UI on the new Pebble Time seems to be more intuitive and less steps to get to where you want than the Apple Watch’s UI. Screen readability in sunlight is better on the Pebble. Apple does have a much higher resolution screen though. Customizable watch faces is a big win for Pebble. The lower price is nice too.
Design and materials is very subjective. Everyone has their own tastes.
One unfortunate thing, besides the Pebble Time app not being available yet, is the lack of some key features when using a Pebble on iOA when compared with Android. The main one is voice commands. Pebble has not been able to get their watch to activate Siri. This is a huge limitation and negative IMO. I’ve heard you can get around this by jailbreaking but we shouldn’t need to do that to get what I consider to be a basic required feature for a smartwatch these days.
Regardless the Pebble Time is a nice device and Pebble should be congratulated for invigorating the whole wearable community.
Thanks for the info. I don’t even wear a normal watch and have yet to find any reason to hop on the “smart watch train.”I do think the wearable tech is intriguing and still like to know the pros and cons to each device.
Apple is not blocking pebble but if they choose not to allow apps with “Pebble” reference, they have full right to do so. They should not block pebble for any bad reasons. People make the choice. I like Apple Watch, other may like Pebble. It’s ok and knowing apple, they don’t care two hoots.
It’s pretty simple what Apple is doing here. They are intentionally holding the progress of Pebble’s smartwatch in order to remove it from the marketplace for potential iPhone buyers.