What you need to know
- Fitbit and Google are drawing attention to users about a battery overheating problem with the Sense and Versa 3.
- Google has created a patch to fix the issues, which is rolling out for those who require it/are affected.
- The company has also provided a form that users can fill out, which will determine their eligibility for $50 in compensation.
- Fitbit was hit with two lawsuits in 2022, one for overheating with its Ionic watches and another (two months after) for the Sense and Versa.
Google is reportedly calling attention to a potentially dangerous situation regarding two of Fitbit’s smartwatches.
Our friends at TechRadar hopped on this after receiving word from Google about a battery overheating problem affecting the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3. The company reportedly adds that a “limited” number of those devices and users may be affected.
In detailing the situation, a Google statement says this issue “poses a potential risk for users and requires an immediate firmware update.”
The publication highlights the details of the update provided by Google. According to the post, the update for the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 will improve the “stability” of the batteries while also “reducing the risk” of overheating. Unfortunately, tackling this through software seems to adversely affect the longevity of the batteries in both watches.
Google states that, as a result of the update, “the battery will last for shorter periods between charges.”
The post states that users with these devices who require the update will be notified on two fronts: in the Fitbit app and via email from Google.
Furthermore, Google has created a form for this harmful battery discovery for affected users. Those with a Fitbit Sense or Versa 3 can fill out the information in this form to “determine eligibility” for “an appeasement of $50 USD.” If you require the update, it will be delivered, as well as the compensation money should your eligibility prove true.
Curiously, this isn’t the first time Fitbit has had an issue with overheating batteries as a similar problem occurred with its old Ionic smartwatches. The company issued a recall of nearly one million of the watches due to the severe risk it posed to consumer safety. The company stated at the time that its batteries could overheat and (potentially) create a burn hazard when worn.
This led to a lawsuit, which was then shored up by another two months later in May 2022.
The second lawsuit claimed that Fitbit’s trackers and watches were burning users’ wrists due to overheating batteries. The devices detailed in this second lawsuit were the Fitbit Sense and the Versa — which is similar to what we’re seeing crop up today. Users provided after images of the damage done to their skin because of the hotter-than-expected batteries against their body.
It seems like Google is trying to get well ahead of this issue, lest both sides suffer a repeat of 2022.
