After efforts to update the Basis Peak smartwatch's software had not fixed the problem, Intel is prompting a recall of the overheating wearable.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the Silicon Valley high-tech giant Intel Corp. is forced to recall all its Basis Peak fitness watches deeming that it poses safety risks to their owners dut to overheating issues. This is a major setback for Intel's involvement with the wearable technology.
PCWorld reports that on Wednesday, August 3, Intel-owned Basis has asked customers to return the fitness smartwatch Basis Peak for a full refund. According to customer complaints and reports, the overheating fitness watches pose a burn hazard.
Intel senior VP Josh Walden declared on the official Basis' company website that it is important for customers to immediately stop using the Basis Peak watch and return it to the company. The wearable fitness device can overheat and cause blisters and burns on the skin surface. Of all the Basis Peak watches sold, just 0.2 percent have been reported as producing burn injuries, according to officials with Basis.
The full recall relates to Basis Peak smartwatches sold from November 2014 until June 2016 (manufactured from August 2014 to July 2015). This means that the recall actually impacts all Basis Peak watches ever sold, regardless of sale or manufacturing date.
The older discontinued Basis B1 is not affected by this recall. However, since June the company has offered full refunds for those as well.
Basis had been trying for months to find a solution to the overheating issue of its fitness watch. While working to a solution, the company told customers in June to stop wearing the smartwatch and started to offer full refunds. On Wednesday, August 3, the company announced that it became clear no such fix could be found.
By using an active LED on the back of the device, the Basis Peak continually monitors heart rates unlike many smartwatches that monitor heart rate only occasionally. However, if the watch overheated in some situations that LED appears to have caused burn injuries.
