Google's best wearable in recent years is also its most boring. The Fitbit Air doesn't have a display, a microphone, or apps. It only gathers health data and forwards it to the Google Health app for analysis.
The crucial element of its success is that the Fitbit Air does its one job very well, to our benefit. That's also why I haven't taken Pebble's Index 01 off since it arrived. However, while it's ambitious, it needs to maintain focus on its core functionality.
The Index 01 isn't a true smart ring
But that's not the point
At its core, the Index 01 is a button, microphone, and Bluetooth transmitter. It can't be called a smart ring, as it doesn't think for itself.
It can store up to five minutes of recordings, but the Pebble app and its on-device LLM do the heavy lifting.
Smart rings are health tracking devices first and foremost. While some niche brands offer rings with tiny displays or extra features, they rarely implement them well.
The Index 01 doesn't offer health-tracking features because it was never designed to.
Arguing whether it competes with existing smart rings is difficult because it is different from anything else on the market.
It's hard to compare the Index 01, so we have to judge it on its own merits. After two weeks of wearing it, I can confidently say that there is a lot of potential here. That's a good thing, but its core features need a lot of work.
The Index 01 is new, and that can cause problems
Nobody gets it right the first time
While the Pebble Time 2 and Round 2 were built on the foundations of the original smartwatches, the Index 01 is the first new product since the company was resurrected in 2024.
While Eric Migicovsky had a brilliant starting point for the second round of Pebble watches, the Index 01 emerged from nothing. And it shows.
Before I dive into what works and what doesn't, I want to clarify how clear Pebble's communication has been. Well before I confirmed my order for the Index 01, I knew exactly what features would arrive, what was still in development, and what potential issues I might encounter.
The first, and most crucial point, is that the hardware is brilliant. I haven't had any problems with the button or microphone, and the ring sits more comfortably than I expected.
While I'll need a few more months with the Index 01 to understand it properly, I have to give the Pebble team a round of applause. First-gen hardware is never perfect, but the Index 01 is the exception.
The Index 01 falls short of its potential on the software side.
How much can one button do? A lot, apparently
This is a ring for the enthusiasts
By clicking the button one, two, or three times, the Index 01 can play or pause music or skip tracks. This functionality is a little slow, but it works.
However, by holding, or double-clicking and holding, the Index 01's button, the Pebble app can:
- Save notes
- Set reminders
- Create calendar events
- Set timers or alarms
- Send text messages (currently only compatible with the Beeper app)
- Answer web searches
- Save to a webhook
- Run an MCP sandbox
It's a seriously impressive amount of functionality that users have already pushed to its limit. For example, one chap used the Index 01 to ring his phone with a fake call by saying "mayday" to it.
I got a Pebble Index ring, and I made it so if I say "mayday" to the ring, my phone rings with a fake incoming call. Thanks @ericmigi.com for getting me out of awkward social situations. — Stavros (@stavros.io) 2026-09-21T22:37:15.371Z
However, while I appreciate the app's potential, the basic functionality still needs work.
The Index tools are great, but I shouldn't need to replace them
Index could surpass Google Keep one day
I don't like juggling multiple apps, but it's sadly necessary, especially for notes and to-do apps. Pebble understands this, which is why you can save notes and reminders to a variety of apps instead of Pebble.
Right now, the app supports Notion, Tasker, Obsidian, and Google Tasks. Great for existing users of those apps, but I want the Pebble app to do more.
A lot of what I want is in development. Shared lists, a web/desktop app, and an improved UI are on the software roadmap.
The Index 01 can replace all my existing productivity tools completely; indeed, it has . But I'm worried that development will skew towards adding new features rather than focusing on its main purpose.
Focusing on a specific purpose is what makes a product great
The Fitbit Air does nothing but record and send health tracking data. As it's a wearable, it needs to be comfortable and stylish. By focusing on this goal, Google made its best wearable yet.
The Index 01 can be just as brilliant in its own space. I'm excited to see over the coming months, but while ambition is good, it needs to be channeled correctly.