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Pebble update adds support for Health-based watchfaces, custom message reply, more

Pebble-Time-Steel

Apple Watch competitor Pebble has today announced a hefty update to its smartwatch experience. The update, which bumps the company’s Pebble Time smartphone app for iPhone to version 3.6 and the watch firmware to version 3.9, includes a variety of enhancements to Health, Messages, and more.

As far as Pebble Health goes, the company says that a new API is now available that allows watchfaces and apps to take advantage of Pebble Health stats. Watchfaces that use this new feature will be available on the Pebble app store “soon,” according to a blog post. Furthermore, Pebble says that Health tracking is “more accurate overall” and also now includes the ability to show step distance in kilometers.

In addition to the Pebble Health enhancements, version 3.9 of the firmware also adds the ability for iOS users to send custom responses to received messages, a feature that is already available to Apple Watch customers. Other enhancements include speed improvements for Pebble Time and Time Steel, as well as enhancements to the watch-only mode that stretches out battery life when your Pebble is about to die.

Furthermore, Pebble is running a sale for Valentines’s Day. The deal includes two Pebble Time watches for $359.99, which is 28 percent off the normal price of $499. A variety of color combinations are available as part of the sale, including various band and watch colors.

The full changelogs for Pebble Time version 3.9 and version 3.6 of Pebble’s iOS smartphone app can be seen below:

Pebble Time Firmware 3.9 Release Notes

  • Pebble Health tracking is now more accurate and can show distance in kilometers. Toggle settings from the Pebble Time smartphone app.
  • Support for apps and watchfaces showing activity data from the Pebble Health API.
  • Incoming MMS messages now show descriptive icons and any text included.
  • Speed improvements for Pebble Time and Time Steel, including snappier animations from Pebble Time Round.
  • Improved Watch-Only Mode: keep your Pebble functioning as a watch for a few more hours when the battery is critically low. Alarms, the backlight, and softer vibration remain while Bluetooth and activity tracking shut off to save power.
  • Improved low battery warnings based on time left with power instead of percentage remaining.
  • Ура, дождались! Cyrillic characters are now supported in notifications and alerts. Enable from the Pebble Timesmartphone app: Menu » Settings » Watch Language » Selected Language.
  • Under-the-hood fixes and stability improvements.
  • To update to the latest firmware, select Menu » Support » Update Your Pebble from the Pebble Time smartphone app.

Pebble Time App for iPhone 3.6 Release Notes

  • NEW Custom Text Replies: Send custom responses to received iOS Messages. Works on Pebble watches with text replies enabled from a compatible carrier.
  • NEW Toggle Pebble Health settings between miles or kilometers (requires a Time-series watch running Firmware 3.9 or higher).
  • Under-the-hood fixes and stability improvements
  • Download 3.6 from the iTunes App Store.

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Comments

  1. Dario Enmanuel Ramirez - 8 years ago

    i dont see where to add those custom replies… or is it not available for my pebble steel?

    • lkernan - 8 years ago

      I don’t have it either. I think it’s only on certain carriers at the moment.

      • ... (@siqueirarodrigo) - 8 years ago

        Very sad as the Pebble are forgetting those who gave more than 20 million dollars in the kickstarter . The Pebble Classic is still sold today, but does not get the best updates. For example, if the Pebble Classic works with the health functions of the Misfit App , why not introduce officially the Pebble Health ?

  2. varera (@real_varera) - 8 years ago

    Sorry, but $499 for a Pebble??? Are they insane? the only selling point was being cheap.

Author

Avatar for Chance Miller Chance Miller

Chance is an editor for the entire 9to5 network and covers the latest Apple news for 9to5Mac.

Tips, questions, typos to chance@9to5mac.com