FITBIT RECALLS WATCHES

On Wednesday Fitbit recalled its Ionic Smartwatch in the United States. This follows an announcement by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission that there had been 115 reports of burn injuries related to the device.

The commission said that the lithium-ion battery in the Fitbit Ionic Smartwatch can overheat and has caused burn injuries in at least 115 reported incidents, including four reports of second-degree burns and two third-degree burns.

Currently, the recall only affects users of the Ionic Smartwatch. The recalled device was sold by various stores including Best Buy and Kohl’s as well as Target.

Several online shops also sold the device. It’s estimated that the specific watches were sold between September 2017 and December 2021.

The commission announced that it’s a voluntary recall by Fitbit and that it doesn’t affect other devices sold by the company. Customers who wish to return the applicable device will receive a refund and a discount code to use on other Fitbit devices as specified by the company.

The New York Times reports that the reported burn injuries represent less than 0.01% of all Ionic watches that had been sold.

Reports suggest that it’s not the first time that Fitbit has voluntarily recalled one of its watches. In 2014, Fitbit halted sales and recalled more than 1 million of its Force smartwatches. The reason for the recall was skin irritation.

Fitbit was founded in 2007 in San Francisco and has established itself in countries across the world.

Image credit: Mashable