From PC Mag: Google-owned Fitbit will pay a $12.25 million fine to settle charges brought by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after its Ionic smartwatches caused second- and third-degree burns.
After launching the Ionic smartwatch in 2017, Fitbit received numerous reports of it overheating and causing burns. The company released a firmware update to fix the overheating issue in early 2020, but it continued to receive complaints and didn’t report them to the commission.
“Despite possessing information that reasonably supported the conclusion that the smartwatches contained a defect that could create a substantial product hazard or created an unreasonable risk of serious injury, Fitbit did not immediately report to the Commission as required,” the agency says.
Ionic smartwatches were recalled in March 2022, and owners were asked to stop using them. By then, Fitbit had received 115 reports of overheating and 78 reports of burn injuries, including two reports of third-degree burns and four reports of second-degree burns.
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