Belkin recalls their famous fast charging Apple Watch battery bank.
Rajesh Pandey from Cult of Mac:
Belkin is issuing a voluntary product recall for model no. BDP005, citing a manufacturing defect. It says this defect can lead to the “portable wireless battery charger’s lithium cell component to overheat,” leading to a fire hazard. Fortunately, the company has not received any reports of injuries so far.
The BoostCharge Pro Fast Wireless Charger stood out for its 10,400mAh cell and its ability to fast charge Apple Watch Series 7 and newer models. The USB-C port also supports 20W power output, enabling it to quickly top up your iPhone or iPad.
To get a refund, you must file a recall form. This includes providing your contact information, product serial number, photos of the power bank, and the purchase receipt. If you don’t have the latter, Belkin will reject your refund request.
I remember this being the only battery bank with a fast charging Apple Watch puck built-in when it came out, and how The Verge was really excited about its prospects:
I do not know whether this Belkin BoostCharge Pro will live up to its promise. I’ve been burned so many times that I’m trying to temper my expectations. But the idea that this little divot in the picture, the one where it looks like I can securely strap my Apple Watch to it and plug in my phone? And potentially eliminate two or three extra cables from my bag? And give me confidence that if I grab this one thing, I’ll be 100 percent confident it will fast-charge my device? And maybe let me toss my smartwatch cables in exchange for an assortment of 3-5 power banks? For once, enough hope burns in my shriveled heart that I preordered the damn thing to test it myself.
Bless Belkin for even trying to conjure this into existence. Bless the army of copycats that will likely get on board and do it for a cheaper price. Bless the inevitable copycats of copycats that will do this for Samsung, Google, Fossil, and other smartwatches.
Kudos to Belkin for initiating the recall and offering refunds for it.
In terms of another battery bank with fast Apple Watch charging built-in, this is the only one I found that seems legit.