The human extinction at the robotic hand of AI is the most popular topic these days, but meanwhile, gadgets far inferior to a T-800 Terminator are causing us harm right now: smartwatches.
Important: that's not to say all smartwatches are harmful, of course. Only some units of some models are causing harm, per users' own admissions. Chances of something going wrong with your smartwatch are pretty slim, but it's essential to highlight that there's no such thing as 100% safe.
Gadgets have batteries in them… and things can go wrong.
The OP (original poster) above says they woke up with a burn on their arm after wearing their smartwatch to bed, as they had regularly done for the past three years. The watch was fully charged before they went to sleep but was completely dead by morning and would no longer turn on.
Here is what it looks like:
Not fun at all. | Image by Reddit user ksima_03
The user suspects it overheated during the night and is frustrated that a device they trusted to be safe ended up injuring them. They now want to know whether they can get a replacement, arguing that the apparent malfunction was not their fault.
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Have you ever had a gadget turn hot in your hands?
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The report goes on to state that reports of similar incidents have surfaced on various social media networks and online forums. The gadgets involved are the Galaxy Watch 5 Pro, Watch 7, Watch 8, Galaxy Watch Ultra and Ultra 2.
So far, nobody has a clear explanation of what's causing this, but the reddish wrist marks indicate that the watch's sensors (which sit against the skin) are emitting excessive heat. Or could it be the battery… or the BioActive sensor lights? Possibly. Of course, not every mark is necessarily a burn. A mere skin irritation (or contact dermatitis) can produce similar symptoms, particularly when sweat, friction or poor hygiene comes into play.
But if there's a blister (like on OP's hand), that's a pretty strong indication that an actual burn has taken place.
Aren't there safety systems to prevent this?
Of course there are and they're crucial.
Wearables have thermal protections. These, as you can correctly guess, are designed to limit the device's performance (and thus cut the heat) or shut the device down when temperatures get too high.
Apple's share
It's not just Samsung Galaxy Watch models that are causing such problems. As we've told you recently, some Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4 owners are also complaining about strange skin irritations after wearing the said devices.
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Sebastian is one of PhoneArena’s senior opinionators. A veteran news writer with almost 20 years of experience in media and technology, he not only covers all the hot news about Galaxies and iPhones, but often provides hot takes on industry trends. He’s fascinated with camera-focused flagships from the likes of Oppo and Vivo, as well as foldable phones.
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