Fitbit has issued a recall for its Ionic smartwatch, amid reports of the battery overheating.
The company said the watch, which was sold in Ireland up until Fitbit stopped making the device in 2020, posed a potential burn risk to users. About 1.7 million of the watches were sold globally.
The Ionic smartwatch caused 118 reported burn injuries worldwide. Of the injuries in the US, there were two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns.
“After a thorough investigation, we determined that in very limited instances, the battery in the Ionic smartwatch can overheat, posing a burn hazard,” Fitbit said. “ Your safety is always our top priority, and we are taking this action out of an abundance of caution.”
The recall is voluntary, and limited to Ionic devices. No other Fitbit product is affected.
To qualify for a refund, users must register with Fitbit's recall site and verify their account has an Ionic connected to it.
Fitbit, which is owned by Alphabet’s Google, is offering users a refund on their devices, with special discounts on other Fitbit products also being offered.
The company’s first smartwatch, the Ionic allowed contactless payments, access to music and GPS-tracking and a variety of apps. – Additional reporting: Bloomberg
