Core Devices Time 2
Shares rank 19 of 20 smartwatches by recommenders
Fans back its plan to fund Pebble-style hardware and software and say it revived their watch on iOS. Critics distrust its ethics and its treatment of Rebble.
Fans back its plan to fund Pebble-style hardware and software and say it revived their watch on iOS. Critics distrust its ethics and its treatment of Rebble.
13 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 5
- criticize it
- 8
- approval share
- 38%
Recommended in 1 of 13 months
- November 2025: recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 5 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 0.6 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 1 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Backs leader who avoids past mistakes
“I support Eric and Core Devices in building a business that makes enough money to fund new development of both hardware and software.”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” “Eric seems to understand what caused that outcome, and is specifically looking to avoid making the same mistakes.”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Pebble, Rebble, and a path forward”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Ethics doubts and closed-source licensing
“The fact that Core Devices seems uninterested in contributing back tells me all I need to know about their ethics.”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” “putting a more restrictive license on their contributions and wrapping a closed-source UI around it”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” “I don't see Core Devices doing anything good unless it appears to be affecting their bottom line”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” - Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work”
Treatment of Rebble criticized
“But you cannot do this to Rebble. You just can't, this is unacceptable.”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” “the company is going to screw over the community that kept them alive”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work” “Core screwing over Rebble is not OK (if it is true)”
Comment from 18 Nov 2025 in “Core Devices keeps stealing our work”
Other smartwatches people recommend
The four most recommended other smartwatches, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Watch | 246 | 272 | 47% | 12 | 5 yrs29 owners | — |
| Pebble smartwatch | 117 | 37 | 76% | 12 | 12 yrs4 owners | Approved |
| Pebble Time 2 | 53 | 19 | 74% | 10 | 3 mo4 owners | Approved |
| Google Pixel Watch | 41 | 57 | 42% | 10 | — | — |
| Core Devices Time 2This page | 5 | 8 | 38% | 1 | — | — |
What people said
All 14 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“also didn't know it's what is powering the new Core Devices products- pretty cool”
“there still seem to be some orange flags”
“Eric seems to understand what caused that outcome, and is specifically looking to avoid making the same mistakes.”
“I don't see Core Devices doing anything good unless it appears to be affecting their bottom line”
“It was Core Devices who made my watch work again on iOS”
“for now I don't trust them to exist in another two years”
“The fact that Core Devices seems uninterested in contributing back tells me all I need to know about their ethics.”
“the company is going to screw over the community that kept them alive”
“promised sapphire crystal faces in the original kickstarter and then shipped cheap garbage”
“Core screwing over Rebble is not OK (if it is true)”
“But you cannot do this to Rebble. You just can't, this is unacceptable.”
“I support Eric and Core Devices in building a business that makes enough money to fund new development of both hardware and software.”
“I won't buy another closed-source device.”
“putting a more restrictive license on their contributions and wrapping a closed-source UI around it”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.