Pebble has finished its second crowdfunding campaign for its second generation of smartwatch, with the Pebble Time bringing in more than $20.3 million in funding from over 78,000 backers on Kickstarter. The final total makes the Pebble Time the most-funded Kickstarter campaign ever, eclipsing the original device’s $13.4 million haul from two years ago.
The latest funding attempt requested a total of $500,000, something backers accomplished shortly after launch, and with the campaign breaking $1 million in just 49 minutes. The first 10,000 backers were able to grab the smartwatch for $160, with thousands others paying at least $180 for a single watch or one of the multipacks. Pebble also introduced the Pebble Time Steel shortly after launch, with the metal-clad version of the device shifting for $250 individually.
The Pebble Time upgrades the original by having a 20 percent thinner case and an always-on 64-color Gorilla Glass-protected display. The watch also includes a microphone for voice-based replies to messages, and the back has an accessory port allowing for add-ons to be attached for extra functionality. Pebble also announced it would be contributing towards the crowdfunding campaigns for smartstrap projects which use the accessory port, with worthy developers receiving contributions from a $1 million pool.
The Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel are expected to sell for $200 and $300 respectively at retail. Kickstarter backers are expected to start receiving their purchases from May.
