Intel is recalling all their Basis Peak Watches

August 4, 2016

The Basis Peak wants to be the first heart-rate monitoring wristband that isn't a joke. Image Source: Forbes

Today, Josh Walden, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Intel New Technology group released a safety recall of all Basis Peak Watch. The Basis Peak watches have a flaw that causes them to overheat and can lead to users injuries.

Back on June 13, Intel shared reports of Basis Peak watches that were overheating. The company urged its customer to stop using the watches until there was a solution. Intel tried to develop new software that would fix the smartwatches defect, but it was not possible.

Walden wrote on the Basis Peak official website that safety was the primary concern for the company and that using the watch could lead to skin burns or blisters due to the watch faulty design.

The security recall on Basis Peak watches and its authorized accessories will include a full refund for the customers. All the data that was stored on these smartwatches will be available until December 31, 2016, after this date the Basis Peak service will be turned off, and the watches will not be able to sync causing it to stop working.

The refund announced by Intel will be a full retail value of the watch. Users who bought the Titanium will receive $344 which includes the tax and shipping, on the other hand, users who bought the standard Basis Peak will receive $234.

The authorized accessories such as the cradle and straps are also the subject of the recall

The Basis Peak users also stopped receiving emails about their fitness activities and their sleep schedules as part of the safety recall. However, users are still able to export their fitness data using the Basis Peak app on a mobile device. To data will be exported in .csv format, that formatted can be accessed through programs like Excel.

Refunds for the Basis Peak watch will be available worldwide and through the following number for the United States and Canada: 1 (844) 622-7472.

Intel purchased Basis, the hot wearable technology company from San Francisco back in 2014. The deal closed for around $100 million and launched Intel into the wearable market.

The basis team joined Intel’s new devices group founded in 2013 to create new wearable computing devices such as the Basis Peak.

“THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND SUPPORT WHILE WE WORKED TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. WE REGRET THAT WE DON’T HAVE A BETTER OUTCOME AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE,” wrote Josh Walden on the Basis Peak official website.