Wearables bring technology closer to our bodies than any other devices in recent memory. Since wearables are always on your body, they can also accidentally harm you or irritate your skin. The most recent wearable to turn on its users is the Apple Watch. Apparently, a number of users are reporting burns from the device itself, as well as unsightly rashes.
One Apple Watch user named Paula Cerutti told the publication Fusion that she started to feel like something was burning her wrist about an hour into her workout. She figured her Apple Watch Sport was strapped on too tightly, and loosened the band to give her wrist some breathing room. Later that night, Cerutti found bubbling blisters on her wrist where the Apple Watch had been, and the Watch was hot to the touch.
She complained about the incident on Twitter, added a picture, and stated that Apple hadn’t been helpful when she reported the issue.
Wtf, my apple watch burnt me & apple is being an asshole about it #iwatch #apple @tim_cook @AppleWatchNews @AppStore pic.twitter.com/jhpaeCNhSX
— Paula Cerutti (@PaulaCerutti) July 8, 2015
Other Apple Watch users, including an iOS developer, experienced similar burns and posted pictures of their injuries on Twitter or Instagram. Some are not sure if the Apple Watch is burning their skin or they are simply getting a rash from the friction of the device and the band. Rashes from wearables, especially those with silicon bands, are not uncommon. Fitbit users have had the same problems for years.
wtf? My Apple Watch has burnt a hole in my wrist!! pic.twitter.com/C9zGQhlVBD
— Andrew Terry (@AndrewTerry) July 2, 2015
Apple has yet to address the issue of burns specifically, though it does mention skin irritation and rashes on its support page for the Apple Watch. The company recommends taking a break from the device and loosening the band to give your wrist more room to breathe. Of course, if the watch itself is burning users, that’s another problem entirely that’s much more serious and can’t be resolved with a simple loosening of the band.
We’ll keep you updated on the story, if Apple responds.
The OnePlus Buds Clip are a new pair of open-ear earbuds built around a simple convenience. They join Sony’s LinkBuds Clip in the growing ear-cuff category, but either OnePlus bud can go on either ear.
Sensors recognize how the earbuds are being worn and route the audio channels accordingly. There’s no label to check before putting them on, and the feature also works when only one bud is used.
We buy fitness bands and activity trackers to keep tabs on our exercise, but it is easy to forget to start tracking or switch modes when moving between different activities. For Fitbit and Pixel Watch users, that could soon become a lot less annoying, as Google is rolling out a major upgrade to automatic activity tracking that can recognize more than 100 types of exercise, up from just 10 before.
Google first showed off the improved tracking earlier this month alongside the Fitbit Edge. It is now coming to Fitbit Air and the Pixel Watch 3, 4, and 5, and Google claims the added context behind the system makes workout detection nearly twice as accurate while cutting missed activities by more than half. Fitbit Edge will support it too.