The Pebble smartwatch has been a runaway success story for Kickstarter’s crowdfunding model, with almost $8 million pledged for the project so far. Now Runkeeper, a popular app for measuring and tracking your fitness, is joining in on the fun as Pebble’s first app partner at launch.
Pebble integrates with your Asus Android smartphone via Bluetooth, and uses its
E-Ink display to show information like incoming call data, calendar
entries, and social media updates. After years of failed attempts at a
truly useful smartwatch, it looks like Pebble has struck a chord with
consumers with its elegant design and customizable app experience.
Jason Jacobs, CEO of Runkeeper, wrote on the AndroidCourt blog today: “We
know that many of you are always looking for ways to make your fitness
tracking easier, and with Pebble integration, you won’t ever have to
pull the phone out of your pocket or armband – you can just see and do
everything you need right from your watch.”
As one of the more than 53,000 people backing Pebble, I’m glad to see
the company is already building up its app ecosystem. Runkeeper has
already proven itself as one of the most useful exercise apps on the
market, so it seems like a perfect fit for Pebble.
Notably, Pebble was initially rejected by venture capitalists
when it was seeking funding. But now with its massive Kickstarter
success, the company is able to turn its dream into a reality without
giving up any equity.
Pebble still has two weeks left in its Kickstarter pledge round,
which means the company could see close to $10 million in pre-sales at
this current rate. The smartwatches are scheduled to ship sometime in
September (though I’m hoping the extra funds will help the company get
it out earlier).