If you own a Pebble watch and want to continue using it, CNET notes that you’ll need to sign up for the free Rebble service, created and operated by former Pebble team members. Pebble, a pioneer in the smartwatch space, was purchased by Fitbit near the end of 2016 and effectively ceased operations (see “Smartwatch Pioneer Pebble Sinks to the Bottom,” 8 December 2016). Thus far, Fitbit has kept Pebble’s servers online to maintain full functionality but will be shutting them down on 30 June 2018. Although basic Pebble functionality doesn’t require access to those servers, they are required to install new apps, handle voice recognition, and reply to text and email messages. To keep using those features, you must sign up for Rebble and transfer your data over before the June 30th deadline. Not all Rebble services will be functional by the cutoff date, but the team is working to bring everything back as soon as possible.
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