Basis smartwatch recall: full refunds, cloud sync closure

Fitness brand Basis is recalling every single one of its Peak smartwatches, offering full refunds to customers after battery overheating problems were acknowledged.

The Basis Peak fitness tracking smartwatches were introduced in November 2014 but Basis withdrew it in June after recognizing overheating issues that were causing discomfort and, in some cases, burns and blistering.

Basis was alerted to faults in 0.2% of the Peak models but nonetheless is asking owners to return their watches and accessories "for a full refund at [the] earliest convenience," including $30 for tax and $15 for shipping.

Owners can export all recorded data from their Peak watches and Basis is encouraging good return rates by shuttering the device's cloud syncing service on December 31, 2016. Basis became part of the Intel family following a 2014 deal.