Google-owned Fitbit is facing a lawsuit claiming that the wearable maker’s entire product line has the tendency to overheat and cause burns to users. It seems that the issue has been occurring for some time but recently come to light. In March this year, Google had voluntarily recalled 1.7 million Fitbit Iconic units after reports emerged of the smartwatch causing burn injuries due to overheating.
“Reasonable consumers purchase the products to burn calories – not their skin – and to safely pursue a healthy lifestyle with the aid of a smartwatch,” the complaint against Fitbit reads.
The two California-based plaintiffs who sued Fitbit and Google claim that the overheating problem is not only limited to the Iconic smartwatch. One plaintiff was using the Fitbit Versa Lite whereas the other had the Fitbit Versa 2. Both experienced overheating issues that resulted in burn injuries. The lawsuit claims that similar issues are present in other Fitbit products and the list includes Versa, Versa 2, Versa 3, Charge 4, Versa Light, Ionic, Sense, Alta HR, Inspire, Inspire HR, Inspire 2, and Blaze.
The lawsuit also alleges that Fitbit customer support isn’t helpful in resolving the issue. The company has been accused of putting the blame on the customer. The court documents submitted by the plaintiffs include screenshots of public and private chats with Fitbit’s support channels. Additionally, it also mentions that although Fitbit promised full refunds for Iconic owners, it has been sluggish with the compensation process.
Both Google and Fitbit could be in big trouble going forward if the overheating problem spans across Fitbit’s product line.
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