Fitbit has agreed to pay a $12.25 million civil penalty to settle allegations that it failed to promptly report overheating battery risks in its Ionic smartwatches, which caused burns.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) said Fitbit knew of the issue as early as 2018 but didn’t inform the agency until after a 2022 recall.

Despite a software update attempt in 2020, the problem persisted.

The settlement requires Fitbit to improve its safety practices and submit annual compliance reports, but it doesn’t include an admission of wrongdoing, the Register has reported.

The CPSC emphasized the importance of immediate reporting to prevent such incidents.

Written by B.C. Begley