Smartwatches can do a lot of things: tell the time, show text messages, read your heart rate. But one thing they aren’t supposed to do is overheat, burning wearers. For that reason, Intel says it is recalling all of its Basis Peak watches.
Intel announced Wednesday that it would call back all Basis Peak smartwatches after a software update failed to fix overheating issues first reported in June.
“We had hoped to update the software on your watch to address the problem,” Basis said in a statement. “Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we aren’t able to develop such a solution without completely compromising the user experience.”
The company is asking users to immediately stop using the smartwatch and return it and any accessories for a full refund.
“On behalf of the Basis Science team, I want to personally apologize for this situation,” Josh Walden, senior vice president and general manager for Intel, said in a statement. “We know that many of you love using your Basis Peak watches and have made it part of your daily lives, and we are very sorry for the disruption this will cause you.”
While Intel says it is stopping support for Basis Peak immediately, owners can still access their data until Dec. 31. After that date, the Basis Peak services will be turned off, and watches will no longer be able to sync, making them stop working.
The watches were sold between November 2014 and June 2016, when the company discovered the overheating problem.
Intel said in June that a small number of Basis Peak users had reported that their watches overheated, in some cases resulting in burns or blisters on the skin surface. The company says the reported cases involved approximately 0.2% of the watches sold.
Refunds will be based on the watches’ price, sales tax, and shipping costs, as well as any accessories purchased. Most of the watches were priced at $139 to $199, while a Titanium version sold for $299. To return devices and obtain a refund for your Basis Peak watch, customers worldwide can visit http://ift.tt/1Yo8C2e.
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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