That mysterious countdown that popped up on Pebble’s website earlier this week hit zero today, at which point the company unveiled the Pebble Time Round. As the name implies, the Round is the first smartwatch from Pebble to have a circular face, but that’s not the only thing that separates it from Pebble’s other smartwatches. The Round is also much smaller than the other watches and isn’t water resistant, and while the battery only lasts two days instead of seven, it can be brought to a full day’s charge in just fifteen minutes. Pre-orders for the device are now open, with prices starting at $250 and shipments expected to begin in early November.
Pebble on Wednesday opened up preorders for the Pebble Time Round, a new smartwatch model that not only changes to a circular face but shrinks the size of the Time to make it extremely thin and light. The Round is just 7.5 millimeters thick, and weighs 28 grams. Its case measures 38 millimeters in diameter, and bands come in 14- and 20-millimeter sizes. Buyers must initially choose from five different preset combinations, mixing black, silver, or rose gold case colors with one of five different leather bands — rose gold watches are limited to a 14-millimeter band. Metal band options should become available later this year. The device makes some sacrifices. Unlike the standard Time, it’s not fully water-resistant, meaning that it should not be worn swimming or in the shower. The Round must also be charged every two days instead of seven, though it can be quick-charged to a full day of power in 15 minutes. Preorders cost $250, with an expected U.S. ship date of early November. Sales should expand to the U.K. later this year and mainland Europe in early 2016. Some people who bought a Pebble Time Steel are eligible to get a Round with a $50 discount, or choose to return one of the two products for a refund by the end of a 30-day trial.
