No, this doesn't replace the Time or Time Steel, it's just another option on the same "Time" platform. The hardware comparison shows many of the same internals: http://developer.getpebble.com/guides/#hardware-comparison

Outside of the round screen, there isn't anything majorly different.

Thanks for the h/w comparison link. A bit relieved.

But still wondering why they didn't give this option during their Kickstarter. I am sure many people would've bought a circular one, but they wont now because their Pebble Time is still new (2 months old).

You realise you are posting on Hacker News not the Daily Mail yes?

This is a heavily technology focused community and in the wonderful world of technology things change. Quickly. Complaining about a new product coming out is quite baffling to me. Perhaps your post would make sense if they had announced they were only going to develop and support this product going forward but they didn't so I find your post quite out of place around here.

I don't mean to be rude (although it will no doubt come across like I am).

It's a fair criticism. They even felt the need to address it in their announcement.

If Apple released a new Apple Watch tomorrow, early adopters would feel cheated and may think twice about buying future products so quickly.

The Kickstarter approach exacerbates this problem. I understand that many people that bought the last Pebble product don't even have it in their hands yet.

> you just shipped thousands of people something And now you announce something which makes that look old.

So... just like Apple does every year, not to mention pretty much every other hardware company in existence? The alternative is not to make anything new, which would just be dumb.

> Am i to understand that I wont be getting updates on my Pebble Time in the near future

Well, seeing as Pebble Time is still a brand new product, and I'm still getting regular updates on my original Pebble Steel, which is another generation older, I'm gonna say "no".

> So... just like Apple does every year

Difference being that Apple doesn't offer an extended return period for devices just because they released a new one. And why should they? It shows investors a lack of confidence in their products.

You sold us on the Time Steel just 6 months ago, and now it already might not be good enough to keep? Why not?

So wait, you're faulting Pebble for having a generous return policy, and praising Apple for not giving you any options? ...I don't get it.

I think GP is being sarcastic at this point.

Apple or Google announcing new flagship phones every year vs Pebble announcing a new watch in a matter of months ? Can't exactly draw parallels here. Something similar would be Apple announces iPhone 6S now and iPhone 6S+ in 3 months.

Keep in mind though that this is same watch internals in a differently shaped case. It doesn't take a year to do that.

True that.

But the thousands of Kickstarter backers might have loved an option

They're giving all the Kickstarter backers who chose Pebble Time Steel the option of exchanging for a Pebble Time Round at no extra cost.

While I agree with your premise, Apple did do something similar when it launched the iPad 3 in May 2012 and the iPad 4 5 months later in October 2012.

Not a big fan of Apple launches either :)

Still a proud owner of a 5S and by current estimates, will be till 7S+ or something like that :D

> It's scary to own something from a company like this.

Yeah, because this will render your Pebble Time useless?

No, it's scary because they didn't plan out things 3 months into the future.

Or they did, and it's even more scarier to think that they dont care about being honest with their customers. "We have two options with us, and we'll show you one now. You can buy that. Then we'll show you another 3 months down the line, and maybe you can toss your old one out and get the new one."

PS: It's great that they are offering an exchange program of sorts for the Time Steel owners, but I am sure there are a lot of people with the Time version