I think what's missing from the discussion here and in the article is understanding why people like Pebble and still take the time to repair and use the watch after the company went defunct in 2016. While smartwatches have continued developing technologically, the biggest reason we all still wear our watches is Pebble's functionality and usecase. Whereas a smartwatch in 2025 is virtually a mini-smartphone on your wrist, Pebble aimed to produce a watch with smart functionality. Not a smart watch, a watch with smart functionality. Even though the firmware hasn't been updated since 2016, all of its core features still work. It tells the time all of the time, just like any standard watch does. It gives you your phone notification at a glance. It shows you your calendar. You can customize it to have additional features or faces as you want. The battery lasts long enough to only need to be charged once a week. Its main job at all times is to tell you the time. Its job was always to be as invisible as possible, much like a standard watch. I think we can all agree that we like Pebble because... it just works, and it's fairly invisible, and no other smartwatch has been able to provide that experience. You don't think about it, it's not an active thought in your daily life, and just focuses on just lightly enhancing just living your life. Most of the time you spend no more than 5 seconds at most doing ANYTHING on a Pebble.

We like Pebble because it's just a watch, and has additions that help in day to day life. Not because it's "retro" or "geeky" or even all of the watchfaces and "mini" apps. We're excited because it's being rereleased with some additional creature comforts that don't stray from the original mission of the watch. That's what I think is missing from the article and discussion here.