Fitbit recalled all fashions of its Ionic smartwatch on Tuesday after a small variety of wearers had been left with burns when the devices’ lithium-ion batteries overheated.
Fitbit Ionic was made between 2017 and 2020 and is available in a wide range of colours, together with burnt orange, charcoal, and smoke grey. On high of monitoring issues like coronary heart charge and sleep, the Ionic supported contactless funds, offered steering to remain match and wholesome, and it boasted of a four-day battery life, longer than most smartwatches of the time.
However its lithium-ion batteries have confirmed susceptible to overheating. The vast majority of accidents had been reported within the US, the place there have been 78 circumstances, together with two third-degree burns and 4 second-degree burns, according to America’s Shopper Product Security Fee.
One other 40 burn circumstances had been reported outdoors the US. In whole, Fitbit obtained not less than 174 stories of batteries overheating worldwide. Fitbit advised clients to “please cease utilizing your system.” Taking it off when it will get sizzling may additionally be an concept.
“Buyer security is at all times Fitbit’s high precedence and out of an abundance of warning, we’re conducting a voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic smartwatches,” a spokesperson from the Google-owned firm confirmed to The Register.
“We obtained a really restricted variety of harm stories – the totals within the CPSC announcement signify lower than 0.01 per cent of items bought – of the battery in Fitbit Ionic smartwatches overheating, posing a burn hazard. These incidents are very uncommon and this voluntary recall doesn’t affect different Fitbit smartwatches or trackers.”
It’s estimated about 1,000,000 Fitbit Ionic gadgets had been bought within the US, and roughly 693,000 had been bought internationally. Prospects are being refunded $299 for sending again their smartwatches; they will even obtain a reduction of 40 per cent off choose Fitbit gadgets, ought to they select to buy one. ®