According to the statement issued on Wednesday, by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Google-owned, Fitbit, has recalled its famous Ionic smartwatch over reported burn hazards due to the smartwatch overheating.
Reports reveal that up until now, Fitbit has received at least 115 reports of the smartwatch’s battery overheating in the U.S. alone, with 78 reports of burn injuries, two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns. Internationally, the company has received 59 reports of overheating, with 40 reports of burn injuries.
The smartwatch was first launched back in September 2017 and offered impressive features including activity tracking as well as heart and sleep monitoring. However, Fitbit had halted the production of the Ionic back in 2020. By December 2021, the company had sold nearly one million units of the smartwatch in the U.S. market and around 7 million in the international markets.
Thankfully, the company is not turning a blind eye to the problem and as compensation for the recall, the brand will be issuing a refund of $299 for returning the smartwatch. Additionally, the owners of the smartwatch will also get a discount voucher of 40 percent on selected Fitbit devices, according to the announcement made by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
The recall is limited to four variants of the Fitbit Ionic, under the following model numbers: FB503CPBU, FB503GYBK, FB503WTGY, and FB503WTNV.
Consumers affected by this recall should visit the company’s official website for more on the refund policy. The company has promised that the refund will be equivalent to USD $299, while the customers outside of the United States will receive the equivalent of USD $299 in their local currency.