UPDATE: more details on the PineTime have been released

Over the last few months, the PINE64 has become one of the most discussed brands within the Linux community. Providing ultra-low cost Linux ARM machines (such as the PinePhone, PineTab and all the PineBooks), this brand has quickly gained a wide community and official support by several projects, including postmarketOS, e.foundation, KDE and Ubuntu Touch.

The latest addition to their rapidly increasing catalogue of Linux devices, however, might not run Linux at all.

This is the #PineTime (actual photo) - a #Linux smartphone companion and a side-project of ours. Are you a @real_FreeRTOS or @ArmMbed developer with an interest in smartwatches? - let us know. pic.twitter.com/j7ygDWNqbD — PINE64 (@thepine64) September 13, 2019

As announced on Twitter some hours ago, the PineTime might become in some (near) future the PinePhone official companion smartwatch. This device will sell for about $25 (yes, really), and run FreeRTOS or some other basic OS on a low-power ARM MCU (Nordic Cortex-M4, 256KB RAM). This choice does not only allow such a low final price, but allows for multiple days of usage time on a single charge.

A charging dock will be shipped with the PineTime, which will feature a heart-rate monitor, a zinc alloy and plastic structure with generic 20mm wristband support.

Finally, PINE64 is looking for FreeRTOS or ARM Mbed developers for this project to become reality. If you are willing to help, you can contact them on Mastodon, Twitter or by joining their Matrix room #pinephone:matrix.org