Intel has failed in its attempt to become a leader in the booming wearables market. For safety reasons, the company was forced to recall all of its Basis Peak smartwatches from users: the devices overheat so much that they leave burns and blisters on the skin. A number of users have complained that the watch's charging cradle also overheats and even melts. The company promised to reimburse all costs, including taxes and delivery. In the US, the refund amount will be $234, in Europe – 244 euros per device.

Intel tried to recall the watch back in June, when the first complaints were received. The company would not say how many watches were produced and sold or how many watches were identified with problems, but said that in June, complaints were received about one device out of 500 sold.

The Peak watch was developed by a startup called Basis Science, which Intel acquired in 2014 in hopes of capitalizing on the emerging market for smartwatches and fitness bands. Smartwatches were expected to become a popular extension of smartphones and laptops, but the Apple Watch, introduced in 2014, did not live up to these expectations.

The Peak went on sale in November 2014. Intel planned to develop a base model and a so-called System-on-a-Chip that it could then sell to other manufacturers. It is known that the watch was produced in China, but Intel does not disclose the name of the manufacturer.

The problem of device overheating is widespread in the wearables market as manufacturers try to pack the power of an entire computer into small wrist-worn devices that sit very close to the skin. This is not the first time that complaints about Intel watches have occurred. Thus, in 2014, the American fitness bracelet company Fitbit faced a class action lawsuit from users due to the fact that the adhesive substance of these fitness bracelets causes severe skin irritation.

Translated by Ekaterina Postnikova

Intel is recalling its Basis Peak smartwatch from customers