Fitbit recalls Ionic smartwatches after reports of skin burns

Fitbit Ionic smartwatches were recalled after several reports of over-heated lithium batteries causing skin burns

Fitbit has recalled its Ionic fitness-tracking smartwatch after apparant risk of overheating and reports of skin burning. The company issued a voluntary recall of the smartwatch with a refund of $299 and a discount on a replacement product. 

The Fitbit Ionic smartwatch was manufactured between 2017 and 2020, selling 1.7 million internationally. However, the company, now owned by Google, received 170 reports of the lithium battery overheating in the smartwatch, BBC reported. 

According to US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), there were 78 reports of burn injuries in the US, which included two incidents of third-degree burns from an over-heated battery. The Commission said it was aware of 40 burns internationally from the Fitbit Ionic watch.

The company made a statement regarding the issue and said, "Customer safety is always Fitbit's top priority and out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling Fitbit Ionic smartwatches." 

The statement clarified that the number of reports about the problematic watches represented "less than 0.01% of units sold".