An announcement from both Fitbit and the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reveals a potential problem with Fitbit Ionic Smartwatches. It seems there’s a possibility that the lithium-ion battery in the device can overheat, which can lead to users being burned. The CPSC has stated that Fitbit received over 174 reports (US and international) of its Ionic Smartwatches overheating, with 118 of those reports mentioning users being burned, meaning roughly 67 percent of overheating incidents have resulted in physical injuries. However, with approximately 1,693,000 Ionic watches sold worldwide and about 174 documented cases of overheating, the chances of being hurt are still fairly low (0.01%). Even so, Fitbit is offering Ionic Smartwatch users the option for a refund. Both Fitbit and the CPSC recommend you stop using your Ionic device immediately and start the return process, even if you haven’t experienced any problems. Even if you haven’t used your Fitbit Ionic in a while (the devices were discontinued in 2020), you can—and according to Fitbit, should—still send it in. If you have one of the affected models (FB503CPBU, FB503GYBK, FB503WTGY, or FB503WTNV), you can contact Fitbit to start the return process. Once it has confirmed receipt of your watch, you’ll receive a $299 refund along with a limited-time discount code for select Fitbit products.
