Fitbit LLC, which is now owned by Google, has been fined $12.25 million to settle claims by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the federal agency said in a news release on Thursday, Jan. 23. The defect caused the Ionic smartwatches to overheat, leading to second- and third-degree burns for some users.
Between 2018 and 2020, Fitbit received multiple reports of its Ionic smartwatches overheating and injuring users, the CPSC said. In early 2020, the company issued a firmware update to address battery overheating, but complaints of burn injuries continued.
Despite having evidence that the overheating created a "substantial product hazard" and posed an unreasonable risk of injury, Fitbit didn't immediately report the issue to the CPSC as required by law.
The Ionic smartwatch was finally recalled on Wednesday, Mar. 2, 2022. Consumers were asked to stop using the smartwatches and contact Fitbit for a refund.
According to the CPSC, Fitbit had received at least 115 reports of overheating in the U.S., including 78 burn injuries. Among those were two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns.
Ionic smartwatches were also sold in Canada and Mexico. Internationally, there were an additional 59 reports of overheating and 40 burn injuries, the CPSC said.
The recalled watches included models with polyurethane bands and 1.4-inch LCD screens. They were available in four color combinations: slate blue/burnt orange, charcoal/smoke gray, blue-gray/silver-gray, and a co-branded Adidas edition in ink blue/silver-gray.
The watches were sold at major retailers like Best Buy, Kohl's, and Target, as well as online through Amazon and Fitbit's website, from September 2017 through December 2021 for $200 to $330. Production of the Ionic line stopped in 2020.
As part of the settlement, Fitbit must maintain and enhance its compliance program to meet Consumer Product Safety Act requirements. The company will submit annual reports on its compliance measures, including audits of its policies, systems, and training procedures.
Google has admitted some Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 smartwatch batteries may also overheat and create a burn hazard, according to a support website post on Tuesday, Jan. 21. An immediate firmware update is required to fix the issue and eligible customers can apply for $50 in compensation.
Fitbit was founded in 2007 and purchased by Google in 2021.
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