Intel is recalling its Basis Peak sleep and activity tracking watch due to overheating issues, and says it is shuttering the acquired startup behind the technology "immediately".

The chip company initially reported the overheating problem in June after some Basis users complained of blistering and burns caused by the wearable device. Intel told its customers not to use the watch until a firmware update was deployed to solve the issue. The update never materialized, however.

Basis Peak

"We had hoped to update the software on your watch to address the problem," the company said in a statement on the Basis website. "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."

The recall and subsequent closure of Basis Science is a blow for Intel's ambitions in the wearable tech sector. Intel bought the San Francisco startup in March 2014 in a deal said to be worth more than $100 million. However, Basis failed to exceed its 1 percent share of all smartwatch sales, according to market research firm Canalys.

Basis Peak owners will be able to access their activity data from the watch until the end of the year, according to the company. Further refund information can be found on the support section of the Basis website.

Tag: Intel

Top Rated Comments

ZZ9pluralZalpha Avatar
117 months ago
I feel sorry for the burned users. Are both of them expected to make a full recovery?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justim Avatar
117 months ago
This is really sad. I love my basis peak. Been wearing it for almost a year and it's never let me down.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
keysofanxiety Avatar
117 months ago
Ah, nostalgia! Intel products having an issue with overheating takes me back to the days of my old 3.4GHz Pentium 4. That was a toasty processor.

Mind you, thank goodness this wasn't an AMD watch. There'd be more than blisters :D
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kabeyun Avatar
117 months ago
All four owners must be very disappointed.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iConnected Avatar
117 months ago
To the Apple Watch naysayers: this is what a smartwatch failure actually looks like.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
richie510 Avatar
117 months ago
I have had one of these Basis Peak watches since its launch. It is a great fitness and sleep tracker with a long battery life. After the Apple watch came out, and I eventually received mine, my Basis Peak became my sleep tracking device, and the watch I used when snorkeling or doing something a bit more extreme than I wanted to subject my Apple watch to.

It is unfortunate that I have to part ways with this device as it is filling a gap not reasonably possible with my Apple watch.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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