The voluntary recall was announced in an email to users Wednesday, and will include a refund to all those who purchased the Peak. The recall comes after Basis found that it was unable to fix the issue through software tweaks.
“Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we aren’t able to develop such a solution without completely compromising the user experience,” said the company in its email. “As a result, we are asking that you return your Basis Peak watch and authorized accessories for a full refund at your earliest convenience. This was a tough decision, but your safety is our top priority.”
Basis first confirmed the issue in June when users started reporting that the Peak tracker was causing ‘discomfort, blistering, or burns’ to the wrist. To try and get around the issue, the company recommended not wearing the device and not charging it through the charging cradle. Some users actually reported that the charging cradle was overheating and even melting.
The news is somewhat disappointing. Even if you’re in love with your Peak tracker and refuse to send it back, syncing with the device will no longer be supported after December 31 of this year. Thankfully, the company does seem to be going out of its way to try and make things better — it will even refund accessories for the Peak trackers, including bands and extra charging cradles.
Of course, this isn’t the first time a wearable company has had to issue a major recall. Fitbit had to issue a recall after users complained of skin irritation from the rubber band back in early 2014.
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