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Fitbit issues recall of Force fitness tracker and stops sales over skin irritation complaints

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Fitbit, the company behind popular iPhone-connected fitness tracking wearable Fitbit Force, today announced a recall of the product due to complaints of skin irritation from users. Instead of the refund or replacement it was offering customers previously, it will now stop selling the Force and conduct a voluntary recall while it investigates the problem with medical experts. The company said in its statement today that only a small number of users have experienced the skin irritation and that “affected users are likely experiencing an allergic reaction to these materials.”

Fitbit also mentioned that it’s working on a “next-generation tracker and will announce news about it soon,” so it remains to be seen if Force will ever return. The full statement from Fitbit and more info on the recall is below (via TechCrunch):

We wanted to provide an update on our investigation into reports we have received about Force users experiencing skin irritation.

From the beginning, we’ve taken this matter very seriously. We hired independent labs and medical experts to conduct a thorough investigation, and have now learned enough to take further action. The materials used in Force are commonly found in many consumer products, and affected users are likely experiencing an allergic reaction to these materials.

While only a small percentage of Force users have reported any issue, we care about every one of our customers. We have stopped selling Force and are in the process of conducting a voluntary recall, out of an abundance of caution. We are also offering a refund directly to consumers for full retail price. We want to thank each and every member of the Fitbit community for their continued loyalty and support. We are working on our next-generation tracker and will announce news about it soon.

For additional information, please contact our support line at: 888-656-6381, or visit http://www.fitbit.com/forcesupport.

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Fitbit Force gaining previously announced iPhone caller ID integration in February (video)

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Announced alongside its launch in October, the Fitbit Force wrist-worn fitness tracker will gain support for Caller ID notifications. The company confirmed to SlashGear that a software update will activate the functionality in February. While the display on the Force will show you who is calling, the functionality is extremely rudimentary. Don’t expect to be able to answer, reject, or perform any other call-related functions. The feature is also iOS exclusive with no indication of when Android users will gain a similar ability. If you still haven’t picked up a Fitbit Force, head over to Best Buy and enter coupon code bloggers15off at checkout to save 15%.  A video of the functionality in action is below:


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Fitbit launches new Force fitness tracking watch with iPhone call notifications for $129.95

fitbit-force-9to5mac-new Fitbit has premiered the new Force fitness tracking watch as its new flagship product. The biggest differentiator for the Force is the new OLED display, wrapped in Fitbit’s signature water-resistant rubberized bracelet design. Instead of simply depicting steps taken as dots, the new Force can bring you detailed tracking information including steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, and floors climbed.

Fitbit Force is the first and only in its category to be able to capture and display all of these stats on your wrist, as well as wirelessly and automatically sync them to leading Apple & Android smartphones and your computer, helping you push further to achieve your fitness goals.

The Fitbit Force is now able to track floors climbed thanks to the inclusion of an Altimeter. The force features even deeper iPhone integration by sending call notifications directly to your Fitbit, as long as you are running iOS7 on an iPhone 4S or newer. However, early-adopters will have to wait for this feature as it will not be launching alongside the new device. Of course, the Force is also capable of all previous Fitbit offerings like tracking your sleep, wireless Bluetooth 4.0 syncing, and silent wake ups. The battery stores enough juice to last 7-10 days.

The Fitbit Force is available today for $129.95 from Fitbit.com in two colors (black/slate) and will be coming to more retailers in the coming weeks.

Full press release follows…

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