Google's $1,800 foldable phone is first smartphone to explode in durability test
2 days ago
- #Durability Test
- #Battery Explosion
- #Pixel 10 Pro Fold
- Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold caught fire during a bend test by durability expert Zack Nelson.
- The device snapped at its antenna lines, leading to a battery explosion—a first in Nelson’s decade-long testing career.
- Previous Pixel Fold models also failed at the same structural weak point near the hinge.
- Nelson criticized Google for not fixing the design flaw despite prior failures.
- Google marketed the Pixel 10 Pro Fold as highly durable, with an IP68 rating and a redesigned hinge.
- Nelson’s sand test revealed the hinge was not dust-proof, producing disturbing crunching sounds.
- The battery explosion was caused by thermal runaway due to a short circuit from the bend.
- Thermal runaway occurs when battery temperatures exceed 150°C, leading to uncontrolled heat generation.
- The Pixel 10 Pro Fold features a Tensor G5 processor, 16GB RAM, and starts at $1,799.
- Other reviewers praised the device’s durability under normal conditions, including its IP68 rating.
- Nelson suggested Google relocate the antenna lines in future designs to prevent similar failures.