Pebble Selects AT&T as Exclusive Smartwatch Carrier

AT&T has inked a deal with Pebble to serve as the smartwatch's exclusive carrier.

After breaking Kickstarter records last year by earning $10 million, the watch this summer landed in Best Buy stores and became available online at getpebble.com. But AT&T is the first carrier to offer the smartwatch.

Beginning Friday, AT&T customers can pick up a Pebble for $150 at att.com and in select retail stores. Broader availability is expected in October.

The Pebble is "fun, practical, and easy to use," AT&T's director of Mobility's Accessory Portfolio, Michael Cowan, said in a statement. "It is simple to see why people have been clamoring to get their hands on it," he said in a statement.

Equipped with the Bluetooth-enabled timepiece, users can receive call alerts, emails, and text notifications directly on their wrist, without needing to dig into a pocket or purse to find their phone. With an e-paper display and water-resistant casing, the Pebble is ideal for those with an active lifestyle.

Earlier this year, the smartwatch maker and Kickstarter darling opened the device to third-party developers to build new apps for sending and receiving information on the Pebble.

The frenzy over the new technology helped Pebble sell out of its initial 85,000 run on Kickstarter last year. But the unexpected popularity of the gadget prompted the company to push its launch date from Sept. 2012 to early 2013. The delay didn't stop its momentum, though, with Pebble securing another $15 million in venture capital funding in May.

The wearable tech space is becoming crowded, though. Samsung recently launched its first smartwatch, the 1.63-inch Super AMOLED Galaxy Gear, Sony launched its second-gen smartwatch earlier this year, and Apple is rumored to be pursuing the so-called iWatch.

For more, see PCMag's review of the Pebble Smartwatch and our hands on with the Samsung Galaxy Gear, as well as our roundup of the Hottest Smartwatches On the Horizon.