{"id":47136,"date":"2025-03-19T15:17:52","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T19:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/?p=47136"},"modified":"2025-03-24T15:24:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-24T19:24:30","slug":"apple-restricts-pebble-from-being-awesome-with-iphones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mjtsai.com\/blog\/2025\/03\/19\/apple-restricts-pebble-from-being-awesome-with-iphones\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Restricts Pebble From Being Awesome With iPhones"},"content":{"rendered":"

Eric Migicovsky<\/a> (via Dare Obasanjo<\/a>, Hacker News<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\n

During Pebble v1, I learned how much harder it is to build a great smartwatch experience on iPhone than it is on Android. It sounds like things have actually gotten worse over the last 8 years.<\/p>\n

I want to set expectations accordingly. We will build a good app for iOS, but be prepared - there is no way for us to support all the functionality that Apple Watch has access to. It’s impossible for a 3rd party smartwatch to send text messages, or perform actions on notifications (like dismissing, muting, replying) and many, many other things.<\/p>\n

Here are the things that are harder or impossible for 3rd party smartwatches (ie non Apple Watches) to do on iPhone[…]<\/p>\n

[…]<\/p>\n

Apple closed off the ability of smartwatches after Pebble to negotiate with carriers to provide messaging services, and now requires users to turn off iMessage (disabling iOS’s core messaging platform) if they want to take advantage of such contracts between a third-party smartwatch maker and cellular carriers.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Recall that, in addition to restricting the actual integration between Pebble and iPhones, Apple rejected<\/a> third-party iPhone apps from the App Store for mentioning that they were compatible with Pebble watches.<\/p>\n\n

John Voorhees<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

The Apple Watch is great. There isn’t another smartwatch that I’ve even been tempted to try in recent years, but is that because no one has been able to make a good alternative or hasn’t because the disadvantages third-party wearables face are too great?<\/p>\n

I’d like to see Apple focus on finding ways to better integrate other devices with the iPhone. There are undoubtedly security and privacy issues that need to be carefully considered, but figuring those things out should be a priority because choice and competition are better for Apple’s customers in the long run.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Have we gotten to the point yet where it’s quaint to argue that Apple should do something because it’s better for customers<\/em>? In what universe would they choose to better integrate with third-party hardware (thus helping either a small startup or Google\/Samsung) when they’ll hide<\/a> the default maps app setting if you live in the wrong country?<\/p>\n\n

Adam Overholtzer<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

Would those first few versions of Apple Watch have driven Pebble and FitBit out of the market without Apple’s lock-in? I think the Watch’s later success has made folks forget what a product design misfire that first Watch was.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n

Eric Migicovsky<\/a>:<\/p>\n

\n

We’re excited to announce two new smartwatches that run open source PebbleOS and are compatible with thousands of your beloved Pebble apps. <\/p>