Apple announced a voluntary recall of 220,000 Beats Pill XL speaker units over fears the battery pack may overheat and catch fire.
The company is offering customers a £215 refund for the Bluetooth wireless speaker, named for its distinctive shape, following eight reports of overheating and one user claiming to have suffered burns.
The Pill XL was revealed in late 2013, well before Apple officially announced it had purchased Beats in May 2014, something the firm makes sure to point out in its press release.
The unit, identifiable by the ‘b’ logo in the centre of the speaker grill and available in 5 colours (black, metallic sky, pink, titanium and white) and a separately-sold shoulder strap.
The speaker rocks a 30-metre Bluetooth range, a rechargeable (and apparently flammable) battery that lasts 15-hours and a built-in speaker phone for accepting calls. It’s also able to charge a mobile device with through the USB out.
The announcement reads: “Apple today announced a voluntary recall of Beats Pill XL speakers, including a refund for customers.
“Because customer safety is the company’s top priority, Apple is asking customers to stop using their Beats Pill XL speakers.”
Read more: 10 Best Portable Speakers 2015
Those returning the product will receive an Apple Store credit or electronic payment totaling £215, even though the item is currently listed at £269 on the official Beats website.
We’ve reached out to Apple for clarification on the refund amount being offered and will update this report if a response is forthcoming. If you’re one of the affected customers, you can find out how to apply for your refund here.
UPDATE: Apple has told TrustedReviews the refund offered is a localisation of the U.S. price. The company also points out the recall program doesn’t affect users’ statutory or warranty rights to receive a refund.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
