A couple of weeks after making the Pebble Time widely available, smartwatch maker Pebble has opened pre-orders for the premium Pebble Time Steel.
Customers that will pre-order the Pebble Time Steel will see shipments begin in about six weeks to eight weeks. Of course, backers of Pebble's Kickstarter campaign for the smartwatch will be able to receive their Pebble Time Steel devices much earlier, with Pebble stating that shipping for the premium smartwatches have already started this week.
The Pebble Time Steel is the more high-end version of the Pebble Time. While the two smartwatches feature similar designs and functionalities, the Pebble Time Steel, true to its name, is made entirely out of steel. In addition, the display of the Pebble Time Steel marks an improvement compared to that of the Pebble Time, with the more expensive smartwatch also boasting of a longer battery life compared to its less expensive counterpart.
The price of the Pebble Time Steel is $249.99 if customers will purchase the smartwatch with a leather strap. The price goes up to $299.99 if customers will decide to purchase the device along with a steel band instead. In comparison, the Pebble Time is selling for $199.99.
Customer can pre-order the Pebble Time Steel through the smartwatch maker's website. Standard shipping for the device is free, and the smartwatches comes with a 3-day return policy and a one-year warranty.
A report by The Verge claims that the Pebble Time Steel is easily the best product ever made by Pebble, with the device's steel construction being much nicer compared to the plastic construction of the Pebble Time. In addition, the Pebble Time Steel's tolerances and quality of build are better compared to that of the Pebble Steel, which the company released last year.
The Pebble Time Steel's price, however, is nearing the price of that of the Apple Watch, and is higher compared to almost all other Android Wear smartwatches. The strengths of the Pebble Time Steel is its long battery life, a display that is always on and compatibility across multiple mobile operating systems, and users that are placing a high value on these traits should definitely consider the Pebble Time Steel as an option.
