Smartwatch Sold By Home Shopping Network Gets Recalled For Burn Risk
A smartwatch sold on HSN (Home Shopping Network) meant to keep people on their toes has done so in more ways than one: the device has been overheating on its charger and catching fire. In a recent announcement, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Deale International (that imports the watch) issued a recall for nearly 3,000 smartwatches that have a habit of getting a little too hot to handle.
The device in question is the Altafit af28, a smartwatch that promised to blend fashion with function. Marketed as a stylish accessory with both bejeweled and mesh band options, plus a 1.68-inch color touchscreen, it was sold through HSN and went for as low as $50 earlier this year. However, the sparkle has faded after reports began to surface of the watch and its wireless charging pad getting toasty.
According to the recall notice, the wireless charging pad that comes with the watch can overheat and even ignite, creating a serious risk of fire and burn injuries. While a hot new gadget is usually a good thing, in this case, this isn't what customers had in mind. The CPSC stated that Deale International has received 39 reports of the smartwatches "melting, burning, and catching on fire while charging." Unfortunately, six of those reports included actual injuries, such as burns to the hands, along with some property damage.
Wanna bet that the hosts wear Apple Watches IRL?
The recall affects some 2,900 of these smartwatches that were sold exclusively through HSN.com from March through May this year. For anyone who might have purchased one (which can be identified by the “ALTAFIT FCC ID 2BHG8-AF28” on the back cover), CPSC advises, "Consumers should immediately unplug the smartwatch’s charging pad and stop charging the recalled smartwatch."
To remedy the issue, Deale International is offering a free replacement pad (improved, we hope). Consumers are asked to cut the power cable of the charging pad and send a photo to the company’s dedicated recall email address at altafitrecall@thedeale.com. Another model, the nearly identically spec'd AltaFit AF25, currently available on HSN.com, has not received any safety complaints and isn't affected by the recall.
