Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold explodes during durability test
What's the story
Google's latest foldable smartphone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, has been put through a rigorous durability test by popular YouTuber Zack Nelson aka JerryRigEverything. The device didn't fare too well in the test and ended up exploding on camera. This makes it the first smartphone to go up in smoke during one of Nelson's tests in his decade-long career of testing phone durability.
Test results
Device scratched at level 6 on Mohs hardness scale
In the durability test, Nelson first tested the cover screen of the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It scratched at level six on the Mohs hardness scale and deeper grooves appeared at level seven, just like its predecessor. The inner flexible plastic screen was vulnerable to scratches from a fingernail, but it is protected when folded. The outer rims of the phone were also scraped off, revealing their color coating underneath.
Resistance tests
Hinge didn't fare well against sand particles
Despite being the first smartphone with an IP68 dust and water resistance rating, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's hinge didn't fare well against sand. Particles got stuck in it during Nelson's test. The device also failed a bend test, snapping along the antenna lines on its left side instead of at the hinge. This was a major point of criticism for Nelson who had hoped Google would have changed their placement this time around.
Battery failure
First smartphone to explode during a test
After the device snapped, Nelson tried to bend it further. This is when things took a turn for the worse as the phone started smoking and exploded on camera. "The battery decides it's had enough. Surprisingly, in the decade that I've been durability testing phones, I have never had a smartphone explode before," Nelson said in his video. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is now officially the first phone to go up in smoke during one of his tests.
Company response
Google has yet to comment on the incident
Google has yet to comment on the incident. However, this isn't the first time a Google device has had battery issues. Earlier this year, the company updated the Pixel 6A and Pixel 4A to address potential battery overheating risks and improve their performance stability. "As dramatic as a battery fire is, we don't think this is necessarily a sign that something is wrong with the Pixel 10 Pro Fold design," said iFixit's Elizabeth Chamberlain.