Why Pebble’s CEO and co-founder is unhappy with Apple

Apple

Pebble’s co-founder and CEO Eric Migicovsky, who is leading the rePebble revival, has voiced strong frustration over Apple’s restrictions on third-party smartwatches. In a recent post, he outlined how Apple's policies make it nearly impossible for non-Apple smartwatches to offer key features on iPhones, putting Pebble at a major disadvantage.

According to the CEO, third-party smartwatches cannot send messages, reply to notifications, or take actions like muting alerts—features that are easily available on the Apple Watch. He also pointed out that Apple’s strict App Store rules make it difficult to update apps, support developers, and provide a smooth user experience.

“This has only gotten worse over the years,” he wrote, referencing a 2024 class-action lawsuit against Apple that highlights further restrictions. For example, iPhone users must disable iMessage to allow third-party smartwatch messaging, and notifications must be set to show full previews for them to appear on non-Apple watches.

The CEO accused Apple of using its market dominance to block competition rather than focusing solely on user security and privacy. He noted that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating Apple for anti-competitive behavior, and similar legal action is ongoing in Europe under the Digital Markets Act (DMA).

Despite the challenges, Pebble’s team is pushing forward with an iOS app because nearly 40% of their interested users own iPhones. However, the CEO warned that Pebble watches will always have fewer features on iOS than on Android, calling it an unavoidable reality due to Apple’s closed ecosystem.

He urged iPhone users to take action by speaking out against Apple’s restrictions, supporting legislative efforts like the ACCESS Act, or even considering a switch to Android.

While Pebble is determined to move ahead, the CEO made it clear: Apple’s policies are a major roadblock for smartwatch innovation.