San Francisco resident Laurie Farr tries out a Fitbit Ionic
Andrew Evers, CNBC
Google-owned Fitbit is recalling its Ionic smartwatches due to a burn hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.
About 1 million Ionic watches have been sold in the U.S., along with nearly 700,000 sold internationally, the agency said.
The lithium-ion batteries in the smartwatches can overheat, which could cause burns, the CPSC said. Consumers should immediately stop using the Ionic watches and contact Fitbit to start the return of the device, CPSC said. After returning the device, consumers will be issued a refund of $299 and a discount code for 40% off select Fitbit devices.
Fitbit 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, the agency said. Internationally, the company received 59 reports of overheating, with 40 reports of burn injuries.
A Fitbit spokesperson said the burns are rare. The recall doesn’t expand to the company’s other smartwatches or fitness trackers.
Google announced in 2019 that it was acquiring Fitbit for around $2.1 billion at a fully diluted equity value. The deal, which closed last year, had been meant to help boost Google’s presence in the wearables market.
