MOUNTAIN VIEW (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said on Wednesday that Google-owned Fitbit is recalling its Ionic smartwatches due to the danger of burns.
According to the Product Safety Commission, the lithium-ion batteries in the smartwatches can overheat, thus leading to burns. The Commission has asked all customers to immediately stop using the Ionic watches and start sending them back to the company. After the device is returned, consumers will get a refund of $299 and a discount code for 40 percent off on select Fitbit devices.
The Commission said that around 1 million Ionic watches have been sold in the U.S. with another 700,000 being sold in the international market.
Fitbit said that it has received at least 115 reports in the U.S. of the battery in the watch overheating, with 78 reports of burn injuries, two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns. On an international basis, the company has received 59 reports of overheating, with 40 reports of burn injuries.
A Fitbit spokesperson said that the burn incidents involving the smartwatch were rare. The recall doesn't include the company's other smartwatches or fitness trackers.
'Customer safety is always Fitbit's top priority and out of an abundance of caution, we are conducting a voluntary recall of Fitbit Ionic smartwatches,' a Fibit spokesperson said. 'We received a very limited number of injury reports - the totals in the CPSC announcement represent less than 0.01% of units sold - of the battery in Fitbit Ionic smartwatches overheating, posing a burn hazard. These incidents are very rare and this voluntary recall does not impact other Fitbit smartwatches or trackers.'
Google announced the takeover of Fitbit in 2019 for around $2.1 billion at a fully diluted equity value. The deal, which was completed last year was aimed at increasing Google's presence in the smartwatch market.
Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2022 AFX News
