Just a few weeks after preorders opened for the rebooted Pebble Core watches, Scottish indie model UNA kickstarted “the world’s first” repairable & upgradable GPS sports activities watch: the UNA Watch. And I am basking on this sudden new pattern of open-source watches because the big-name manufacturers pattern towards subscriptions.
The UNA Watch Kickstarter lists out its options: steady coronary heart fee, blood oxygen, steps, and flooring climbed in regular settings, plus health options like HR zones, tempo, laps, and (after launch) downloadable GPX routes. It has dual-frequency GPS and 10-day battery life.
Apparently, it runs on the identical Cortex-M33 coprocessor discovered within the Pixel Watch 3, solely with out the battery-guzzling Snapdragon.
I recognize that the UNA Watch fees with a easy USB-C slot as a substitute of a proprietary cable and that you’ll purchase modular upgrades like music storage or a mic/speaker combo and set up them your self. It additionally will not have any subscription.
You’ll be able to even purchase the dev instrument for an additional $40 so as to add your personal apps and firmware!
Pebble is far much less fitness-focused, making UNA a greater match for my life-style. Nevertheless, each share an open-source, fanatic philosophy the place individuals can code their very own apps or add their very own sensors as wanted. In idea, the group will construct up the UNA Watch’s restricted function set — simply as Pebble requested its group for assist growing new software program.
My restricted coding background makes it unlikely that I will help both group. However smartwatch manufacturers have moved away from letting indie devs into their closed methods, to everybody’s detriment. That is why units like UNA and Pebble are so necessary and have me excited to purchase into their communities.
UNA and Pebble are combating in opposition to the tide
I’ve reviewed nearly each mainstream smartwatch model on the market right this moment, and it appears like they’re all beginning to converge on the identical priorities.
Some wearable manufacturers are honing in on providing medical-grade well being monitoring and including new knowledge factors like blood strain and glucose. Others, like Garmin, are going all-in on AI as a pretense to cost extra for premium options with its Join Plus subscription.
Mainly, we’re coming into the heavyweight period of smartwatches, the place manufacturers usher in medical doctors for extra correct knowledge and squeeze LLMs onto your wrist. And whereas that is thrilling in its means, it would not depart a lot room for experimentation — for smaller manufacturers, tiny groups, or indie devs to strive one thing new — as a result of each watch wants a laundry listing of options to compete.
A part of that’s Apple’s fault. I’ve beforehand written about how Apple’s locked watch ecosystem compelled wearable manufacturers to deal with health and the way manufacturers like Pebble right this moment cannot provide messaging, third-party app shops, or different smarts due to Apple’s restrictions. Till the EU forces Apple to open up its ecosystem, that will not change (on iOS, a minimum of).
That is why I am contemplating dropping cash on the UNA Watch or Pebble Watch, regardless that they’re objectively much less feature-packed than different watches available on the market. To help manufacturers that may go off the overwhelmed trade path and take a look at new issues.
Extra modular smartwatches, please
I’ve seen different “hackable” watches lately like Spectra that depend on their group to give you thrilling concepts. However the UNA Watch is very intriguing to me, assuming it lives as much as the model’s guarantees.
I recognize which you can take out the battery and substitute it your self. A variety of wearable tech is not repairable — particularly sensible rings — and when your watch naturally loses capability, producers would reasonably that you just purchase a brand new watch than maintain your previous gadget chugging alongside.
With the UNA Watch, you possibly can unscrew all the things your self, both to exchange issues or add new options years later. Primarily based on the Kickstarter feedback, they will select what new modules to make based mostly on what the group asks for, such because the mic/speaker for Bluetooth calling.
Pebble initially tried letting individuals add “sensible straps” to reinforce their watches after the very fact. I really feel like UNA follows that legacy, besides that the modules will slot immediately onto the watch itself. The query can be how many modules you’ll add.
The UNA Watch Kickstarter will happen till Could 2, with loads of early-bird offers accessible to avoid wasting $75 on the eventual listing value. It is anticipated to ship in August 2025. In the meantime, in case you’re extra inquisitive about Pebble, its new watches are additionally accessible for preorder now, with decrease costs however a later scheduled launch date of December 2025.
