More than 2 years aft recalling astir 1.7 cardinal Ionic smartwatches sold globally, Google-owned Fitbit volition wage a $12.2 cardinal punishment for failing to alert consumers that the products tin overheat and origin burns, national regulators said Thursday.
Fitbit received galore reports of the lithium-ion batteries successful the watches overheating during 2018, 2019 and continuing into 2020, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). In aboriginal 2020, Fitbit made an update to code the defect, but continued to perceive from radical suffering burns and did not study the contented to regulators arsenic legally required.
"While health-conscious radical wore Fitbit Ionic smartwatches to way their fitness, they had nary thought that the watches were putting their information astatine risk. They didn't cognize astir the hazard due to the fact that Fitbit said nothing," CPSC Commissioner Rich Trumka Jr. said Thursday successful a statement.
The CPSC and Fitbit announced a recall of the Ionic smartwatches successful March of 2020, saying the institution had received 115 reports successful the U.S. of the batteries successful the devices overheating. Domestic customers reported 78 pain injuries, 2 involving third-degree burns and 4 of second-degree burns; different 40 incidents were reported internationally.
Fitbit discontinued accumulation of its Ionic model, which was utilized to way activity, bosom complaint and sleep, successful 2020.

"Customer information continues to beryllium our apical priority, and we're pleased to resoluteness this substance with the CPSC stemming from the 2022 voluntary callback of Fitbit Ionic," said a spokesperson for Google, which purchased Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2019.
About 1 cardinal of the recalled smartwatches were sold successful the U.S. astatine retailers including Best Buy, Kohl's and Target, arsenic good arsenic online astatine Amazon.com and Fitbit.com from September 2017 done December 2021. The products retailed for betwixt $200 and $330 each. Another 693,000 were sold internationally, according to the company.
The 2020 callback came 8 years aft Fitbit recalled its Fitbit Force activity-tracking wristband aft the institution received astir 9,900 reports of the wristband irritating tegument and 250 reports of blistering.
In summation to the $12.25 cardinal civilian penalty, the colony statement requires Fitbit to support interior controls and procedures to guarantee compliance with the Consumer Product Safety Act. The institution besides agreed to taxable an yearly study regarding its compliance programme and interior controls, the CPSC stated.
Kate Gibson is simply a newsman for CBS MoneyWatch successful New York, wherever she covers concern and user finance.