Pebble to kick off 2014 with an appstore for its smart watch

BY Kelly Hodgkins

Published 18 Dec 2013

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Pebble watch owners have something exciting to forward to in 2014. The smart watch maker announced today that it plans to open an appstore filled with Pebble compatible apps early next year.The launch of the Pebble appstore will coincide with the release of the Pebble SDK 2.0. The appstore will be included in the official Pebble app for Android and will become the “go to” place for Pebble owners who are looking to expand the use of their device beyond the basic notifications. Besides watchfaces, the Pebble appstore also will include categories for Daily, Remotes, Sports & Fitness, Notifications, Tools & Utilities and Games. Just like the Google Play Store, the Pebble appstore will highlight top apps and new apps in these categories.

One neat feature for app developers is the ability to link to their companion Android app in the Pebble app description. This will make it easy for Pebble owners to find the right app to sync with their smart watch. Mobile apps that take advantage of the Pebble API, but don’t require a standalone Pebble app can also be listed in the Pebble appstore. At launch, all Pebble apps will be free, though developers can charge for their Android companion apps if they see fit.