Pebble Shuts Down, Team Joins Fitbit

Wearable maker Pebble announced today that it is shutting down and will no longer make devices. The good news? The team is heading off to market leader Fitbit.

“Pebble is no longer able to operate as an independent entity,” Pebble’s Eric Migicovsky writes in the Pebble blog. “We have made the tough decision to shut down the company and no longer manufacture Pebble devices. This news has several major implications.”

Those implications include:

• Pebble is no longer promoting, manufacturing, or selling any devices.
• Pebble devices will continue to work as normal, with “no immediate changes to the Pebble user experience … at this time.” That said, “Pebble functionality or service quality may be reduced in the future.” I think that is a certainty.
• Warranty support is no longer available for Pebble watches.

There’s more, but check out the post for the full list.

The more interesting bit, perhaps, is that Pebble sort-of confirmed recent rumors that Fitbit would be buying the company. That is, it’s acquiring the team, not the company and its devices (and support requirements).

“I am happy to announce that many members of Team Pebble will be joining the Fitbit family to continue their work on wearable software platforms,” Migicovsky explains. “Pebble’s successful approach to third-party wearable development is undeniable, and Fitbit is welcoming our expertise in this space wholeheartedly.”

In a nice touch, Fitbit will maintain services so that Pebble devices continue to work as normal, though these services will of course be reduced over time. But this will help in the transition, as would a Pebble trade-in program, guys. (Hint, hint.)

Anyway. It’s dead, Jim.