The Pebble Steel is definitely more stylish than the original Pebble smartwatch, and thanks to its metal body and several design changes, it’s also easier to disassemble.
In this Cracking Open gallery, I walk you through the process of disassembling the Pebble Steel and give you a tour of the internal hardware. For a detailed analysis of the teardown, check out my article and video, Pebble Steel teardown reveals easy-open case, removable components, and more storage.
As of publication, the Pebble Steel is available in Black Matte or Brushed Stainless finished for $249 (USD). Plastic versions of the Pebble are available in several colors for $150 (USD).
Along with the Steel watch itself, the box contains both leather and metal bands, a screw drivers (for changing the bands), a charging cable, and product documentation.
According to Pebble’s website, the Steel is 46mm (L) x 34mm (W) x 10.5mm (T). It weighs 1.97 oz.
Pebble redesigned the charging port on the Steel.
Although heavier than the original Pebble watch, the Steel’s body is slightly smaller.
The back cover is held on with four Torx T4 screws.
The Steel’s “e-paper” display, button contacts, and internal plastic frame appear to be glued to the metal body. If any of the components were damaged, you could likely remove and replace the entire assembly, but as I want to reassemble this device in working order, I’m going to call this teardown complete.
Between the internal frame and the metal body, you can see the button contacts.
With the
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show. Previously, Bill was an IT manager in the social research and energy industries. He has bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Louisville, where he has also lectured on computer crime and crime prevention.
