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Intel has issued a product recall for its Basis Peak smartwatches, after it was discovered the products can overheat and cause burns or blisters.
The company is offering a full £184 refund for each smartwatch and is also offering refunds for accompanying accessories like wrist straps.
It already asked customers to stop wearing the devices back on June 13th, while it seeked a solution to the problem. Now it has asked customers to return them immediately.
Josh Walden, senior VP and GM at Intel’s New Technology Group, said on this recall page: "We had hoped to update the software on your watch to address the problem. Unfortunately, despite our best efforts, we aren’t able to develop such a solution without completely compromising the user experience. 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.
"We are issuing this safety recall of the Basis Peak watch because the watch can overheat, which could result in burns or blisters on the skin surface. It is important that you stop using your watch immediately and return it.
"On behalf of the Basis Science team, I want to personally apologize for this situation. We know that many of you love using your Basis Peak watches and have made it part of your daily lives, and we are very sorry for the disruption this will cause you."
Customers can still access their data until December 31st, after which the Basis Peak services will be turned off. This means customers will no longer be able to sync, which will cause the smartwatches to stop working.
Intel purchased Basis in early 2014 for around $100 million.
