The story of Galka’s return takes an unexpected turn. After launching two new smartwatches earlier this year, the company today announced a new wearable that challenges the smart ring. Unlike the Samsung Galaxy Ring or the Oura smart rings, the Pebble Index 01 isn’t designed to track health and fitness. Instead, its sole purpose is to help users capture ideas or remember things.
At its core, the Index 01 is a device designed to make voice memos effortless. It’s a stainless steel ring with a side button and a built-in microphone that lets users quickly jot down ideas, set reminders, start a timer, or create calendar events. It has built-in memory to store recordings that automatically sync with the Pebble companion app when connected to your phone.
In the program, the recording is transcribed locally and automatically classified as a reminder, stopwatch or simple note. All of this requires no monthly subscription, although Pebble offers an optional cloud service that allows online backups and improves text-to-text accuracy.
Pebble says the Ring button can also be configured in the companion app for additional actions, such as controlling music playback, taking photos or activating smart home commands, allowing users to do more when they want. A double-tap gesture can even display answers to simple questions, but this feature requires an active Internet connection and isn’t available by default.
Index 01 is designed for minimal maintenance. So it doesn’t have a battery. Instead, it uses a long-life silver oxide battery (similar to the batteries used in hearing aids) that can last up to 2 years with average use. When the battery dies, the ring can be returned to Pebble for recycling, and users must buy a replacement.
While it may seem expensive to buy a new smart ring every two years, the Index 01’s starting price of $75 makes it affordable. If Pebble’s smart ring piques your interest, you can now pre-order the Index 01 in polished silver, gold, or matte black on the company’s website. Shipping is expected to begin next March, after which Pebble will increase the price to $99.
