Between 2018 and 2020, Google, which owns Fitbit, discovered at least 115 instances of battery overheating in its Fitbit Ionic smartwatch. Out of these, 78 cases involved actual burn injuries, including two cases of third-degree burns and four cases of second-degree burns. The company ultimately recalled this dangerous device in March 2022, but by that time, it was already too late.
Reporting Failures
In situations where it is found that a product has a defect that poses a serious risk of injury or even death to consumers, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) mandates immediate reporting of the issue. Unfortunately, Google did not fulfill this requirement. Consequently, the company is obligated and has consented to pay a fine of $12.25 million to the CPSC.
Internal Audit Requirements
The settlement terms also stipulate that Fitbit must carry out an internal review of how effective its compliance policies, procedures, systems, and training are. Furthermore, they are required to submit an annual report on their findings.
Interestingly, this news comes just one day after Google issued a consumer alert regarding a potential (though unlikely) risk of injuries caused by overheating batteries in the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatches. Both of these models have been replaced by newer versions: the Fitbit Sense 2, which is currently 21% off on Amazon, and the Fitbit Versa 4, which is currently 17% off on Amazon.
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