Recently I was delivered a recall from Fitbit for the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch. Really? A call for a smartwatch? I thought the calls were the prerogative of cars, instead ...
My experience with smartwatches
My experience with smartwatches, for sports use, began a few years ago, in 2017, when I was given a Gymwatch. This bracelet was not properly a smartwatch, in fact, it was not even equipped with the monitor. It was a clock for sports use, in the gym, specific for weight lifting. He evaluated the movements and informed the athlete on the quality of training. It only worked if connected, in real time, via bluetooth, to the app on the smartphone.
The use was very short. Apart from some practical difficulties in the use, in 2020 the company announced the closure.
I received an email:
RIP – GYMWATCH will be shut down in 2020
Since then, the app is no longer active and the smartwatch is no longer usable.
Thinking about it, this is the limit of products that are based on online services: we do not really have these products, but the services of companies that can close from one day to the next are used.
The experience continues with Fitbit Charge 2
In the same year, 2017, I was also given a Fitbit Charge 2. This was a pedometer watch, equipped with a sensor to measure the rate of the heartbeat. He supported several workouts, not just weight lifting.
The Fitbit Charge 2 wasn't bad as a sports smartwatch. However, it had flaws:
- the straps were easily damaged;
- the monitor slide had cracked autonomously, not because of blows suffered.
Fortunately, smartwatch bands are readily available, low-cost, on both eBay and Amazon.
The Fitbit Ionic
The cracks on the Fitbit Charge 2 monitor became more and more imposing, so I decided to take advantage of a fitbit offer itself: the 50% discount on Fitbit Ionic.
In fact, the discount was not really 50% effective, as, on other external stores in Fitbit, the IONIC could be purchased with 20-30% discount. However, I decided to take advantage of the offer.
In 2019, I started using the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch, instead of the previous Fitbit Charge 2.
The characteristics were quite interesting, as the smartwatch lent itself to both sports use, and the normal use of everyday, for reading the messages, the calling identifier during the calls, etc ...
In addition, the Fitbit Ionic relied on the same app as the Fitbit Charge2, ensuring continuity of workout recordings, as well as badges and trophies earned.
The Fitbit Ionic smartwatch was also affected by the classic urburino wear problem.
Recall for the Fitbit Ionic: Is it a dangerous smartwatch?
Recently, an email was delivered to me, directly from Fitbit. It was not the usual newsletter with weekly progress. It was a more serious email.
In short, Fitbit, in agreement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission, advises me to stop using the Fitbit Ionic smartwatch, because it can create burns to the skin. In fact, the lithium battery contained in it may overheat. All Fitbit Ionic models may be defective, here are the part numbers: Ionic FB503CPBU (Blue/Orange), Ionic FB503GYBK (Grey), Ionic FB503WTGY (Blue/Silver), Ionic FB503WTNV (Adidas edition, Blue/Grey).
The company has sold around 1.7 million Fitbit Ionic smartwatch, which are now recalled. A refund is offered, in exchange for the permanent deactivation of the device. Alternatively, you can opt for a discount on the purchase of another Fitbit smartwatch. The Ionic is no longer available since 2020.
At the moment, the details of the transaction have not yet been communicated to me. I filled out the form proposed by Fitbit to request a refund, but I have not completed the deactivation of the device.
After some research, I realized that only 0.01% of the Fitbit Ionic sold overheated.
I also called Fitbit customer support, but they were unable to communicate the extent of the refund and when it will be paid. There is talk of 3-6 weeks. In realtà, avrei preferito avere uno smartwatch funzionante...
News on international sites report that the refund, for single watch, should be about 299 $, for a total of $ 508 million lost by the company.
As for me, I decided to continue using the smartwatch, at least Until the reimbursement details are also clearer in Italy. Let me be clear, this is not advice for you who read this article. It's just my decision.
I will not use the smartwatch to monitor sleep. During the night, I may not notice any overheating. Instead, during the day, I should burn, I could take it off ... at least I hope!
Considerations on Fitbit Ionic ...
I remain rather baffled by the news of the recall of the Fitbit Ionic. It could be a dangerous smartwatch, unsafe and could cause damage to health.
I am convinced that engineers should evaluate the possible criticalities of the products well, before putting them on the market. Especially the critical issues related to electromagnetic wave emissions and the critical issues related to lithium batteries. These critical issues, in fact, are not new. Products that, subsequently, are discovered to be carcinogenic, as well as exploded batteries, are situations that have already happened on several occasions.
In addition, I wonder if it is not preferable to repair these dangerous smartwatches. The constant consumerism, the inability to repair products, the scarce possibilities offered to recycle products, damage our beloved planet more and more.