Fitbit fined $12 million for Ionic smartwatches that burned 78 people

Jan 24, 2025 02:19 AM - 2 weeks ago 20533

Fitbit is paying a $12.25 cardinal fine complete its Ionic smartwatches, which the institution recalled successful 2022 aft reports that the watches’ lithium-ion batteries overheated and, successful immoderate cases, burned customers. 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has provisionally accepted the settlement. The committee worked pinch Fitbit to callback 1.7 cardinal Ionic watches successful 2022 aft receiving 115 reports of overheating batteries. Of those reports, 78 mentioned pain injuries, including 2 instances successful which consumers received third-degree burns from their watches and 4 instances of second-degree burns. Despite complaints passim 2018, 2019, and 2020 — that continued aft a firmware update to reside the rumor successful 2020 — the authorities agency says Fitbit did not instantly study to the Commission arsenic required.”

The callback only affected Fitbit’s Ionic watches, but immoderate consumers opportunity different Fitbit devices person akin issues. In 2023, consumers sued Google — which owns Fitbit — claiming that each its devices had artillery issues that led to overheating, creating occurrence hazards and moreover burning customers. The title claims that Fitbit tried to blasted the watches’ issues connected “consumer hygiene” and included aggregate accounts of Fitbit customer support ghosting customers who asked astir issues pinch their watches.

Per the settlement, Fitbit will now beryllium required to support soul controls to guarantee each its devices are compliant pinch the Consumer Product Safety Act.

More