Tech geeks and gym rats don’t usually have much in common. However, they can both agree on their love for wearable technology and their obsession with tracking.
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The mashup of wearable technology and fitness has become incredibly popular among both tech fanatics and fitness enthusiasts. Many companies have dedicated massive brainpower to developing multiple activity and health trackers in the form of watches, bracelets, and even rings that become increasingly sophisticated over time.Â
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These products have gained so much traction because they provide real-time tracking, which allows people to conveniently monitor their physical health while being encouraged through goal-oriented challenges and motivational notifications.Â
Fitness watches from Google and other tech companies are a popular way to track fitness progress but one product has injured wearers.Â
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Google enters the wearable technology game by acquiring a rival brand
Google ( (GOOGL) )Â acquired Fitbit for $2.1 billion in 2019 in an effort to better position itself in the wearable device business. This was a strategic move for the company’s future, as it had been developing wearable smart devices for a few years but gained little traction as it struggled to compete among strong rivals.Â
Fitbit is a company that develops wearable technology, including fitness and activity trackers that can be worn on the wrist to monitor one’s health and lifestyle habits.
This company has been creating wearable technology for years, and although an expert at its own game, everyone makes mistakes and Fitbit made one that it would eventually come to regret.
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From 2018 to 2020, Fitbit received various reports that the lithium-ion batteries used in its Ionic smartwatches were causing the product to overheat, leaving consumers with second-degree and third-degree burns on their arms or wrists.
In 2020, Fitbit provided an update and publically addressed the safety issue, completely stopping production of its Ionic smartwatches that same year.Â
However, Fitbit didn’t account for everything, as it failed to immediately file an official report with the CPSC, as required by law, which the Commission claims was willingly continuing to put customers at risk for years.
Fitbit recalls its defective smartwatch after years of multiple serious injury reports
It wasn’t until March 2022, nearly four years later, that Fitbit announced a recall of approximately 1.7 million Ionic smartwatches sold at Best Buy, Kohl’s, Target, Amazon, and online through Fitbit’s website.
According to the recall, Fitbit received at least 115 reports from U.S. customers and 59 international that the battery in their smartwatches was overheating. Among the multiple U.S. reports, 78 reported burn injuries, with two reporting third-degree burns and four reporting second-degree burns.Â
As stated by the CPSC, Fitbit failed to officially report to safety regulators that its Ionic edition smartwatches had a defect that caused them to overheat to very high temperatures, putting millions of customers at risk of receiving serious burns.
As a remedy, the company stated, “Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled Ionic smartwatches and contact Fitbit to receive pre-paid packaging to return the device. Upon receipt of the device, consumers will be issued a refund of $299. Fitbit will also provide participating consumers with a discount code for 40% off select Fitbit devices.”
Fitbit agrees to pay a multi-million dollar civil penalty
On Thursday, The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Fitbit agreed to pay a $12.2 million civil penalty to settle a law infringement made back in 2018.
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In addition to the multi-million dollar fine, Fitbit must maintain internal controls and procedures to ensure compliance with the CPSA and must also submit an annual report regarding its compliance program, internal controls, and internal audit of the effectiveness of compliance policies, procedures, systems, and training, as stipulated in the settlement agreement’s requirements.
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