Fitbit has issued a voluntary recall for Ionic smartwatches that it manufactured and bought from 2017 by way of 2020. In its announcement, it defined that the mannequin’s lithium-ion battery can overheat and pose a burn hazard in “very limited instances.” According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Fitbit acquired a minimum of 174 studies of the watch’s battery overheating. It acquired 78 studies of burn accidents that embrace two second-degree and 4 third-degree burns within the US, in addition to 40 studies of burn accidents from different areas. 

The firm, which stopped promoting the product in 2020 earlier than being acquired by Google, bought round 1,000,000 Ionic smartwatches within the US and 693,000 internationally. While 118 studies of burn accidents is likely to be a small proportion of the whole variety of models bought, Fitbit stated it is taking “this action out of an abundance of caution.”

When the Ionic got here out in 2017 because the model’s first actual smartwatch, we discovered it a fairly well-rounded debut. After it was launched to the general public, although, complaints stating battery points began popping up online, prompting some customers to demand a recall. It took a while for the corporate to reply, however now individuals who nonetheless personal an Ionic can get a $299 refund for his or her gadget, even when they have not been actively utilizing it for some time. They’re additionally getting a 40 % off low cost code for future purchases in the event that they ship of their outdated smartwatches. 

People who personal an Ionic smartwatch can go to the official recall page to get the method began. Those who aren’t fairly positive if the mannequin they personal is an Ionic can test the again of their gadget for the mannequin quantity — if it exhibits the code FB503, then they’re eligible for a refund.