The Scottish indie brand UNA launched "the world's first" repairable & upgradeable GPS sports watch, the UNA Watch, just a few weeks after preorders for the revived Pebble Core devices opened.
In addition to fitness capabilities like HR zones, pace, laps, and (after launch) downloadable GPX routes, the UNA Watch Kickstarter lists continuous heart rate, blood oxygen, steps, and floors climbed in standard settings. It boasts a 10-day battery life and dual-frequency GPS, reports Android Central.
It's interesting to note that it uses the same Cortex-M33 coprocessor as the Pixel Watch 3, minus the Snapdragon's draining battery.
Instead of using a proprietary wire, the UNA Watch charges via a straightforward USB-C port. You can even purchase and install modular extras like music storage or a microphone/speaker combo. Additionally, there won't be any subscriptions.
For an additional $40, you can get the dev tool to add your own firmware and apps!
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Pebble is far less focused on fitness. Both UNA and Pebble however, adhere to the open-source, enthusiast attitude that allows users to add their own sensors or write their own code as needed. Theoretically, the community will expand the UNA Watch's small feature set, much like Pebble requested community assistance in creating new software.
To the detriment of everyone, wristwatch manufacturers have shifted away from allowing independent developers to access their proprietary platforms. Devices like UNA and Pebble are crucial for this reason.
In addition to introducing additional data points like blood pressure and glucose, several wearable brands are focusing on providing medical-grade health tracking. Others, like Garmin, are putting all of their money on AI as a ruse to charge more for its Connect Plus subscription's premium features.
In essence, the heavyweight era of smartwatches is upon us, where companies jam LLMs onto your wrist and consult doctors for more precise data. While it is fascinating in its own right, the fact that every watch needs a long list of functions to compete means that there is little opportunity for experimentation on the part of smaller brands, small teams, or independent developers.
Years later, you can add new features or change items by unscrewing everything yourself with the UNA Watch. They will decide which new modules, like the microphone/speaker for Bluetooth calls, to create based on community requests and the Kickstarter comments.
At first, Pebble experimented with allowing users to use "smart straps" to enhance their watches after the fact. With the exception of the modules fitting straight onto the watch itself, UNA seems to carry on that tradition. How many modules you can add will be the question.
There are numerous early-bird offers available to save $75 off the final list price during the UNA Watch Kickstarter, which runs until May 2. August 2025 is when it is anticipated to ship. Pebble's new watches, which have lower costs but a later planned release date of December 2025, are also available for preorder right now if you're more interested in that brand.
