Highlights
- YouTuber Zack Nelson’s bend test caused Pixel 10 Pro Fold to snap, smoke, and catch fire.
- The cover screen showed typical scratch resistance, while the inner screen was extremely soft. Despite IP68 certification, the hinge trapped debris.
- The break occurred along antenna lines not the hinge, prompting criticism of Google’s unchanged design.
A shocking incident involving the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold has gone viral after the device’s battery exploded during a YouTube durability test. The video is sparking serious debate about the safety and durability of Google’s latest foldable smartphone. Here’s the full story.
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Explodes
The test was conducted by Zack Nelson, the host of the popular YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, known for pushing devices to their physical limits. During his latest video, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold not only snapped apart but also started smoking and caught fire during the bend test. Notably, this is a first in Nelson’s decade-long history of smartphone testing.
At the beginning of the test, everything seemed normal. The cover display is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and began showing scratches at level 6 on the Mohs Hardness Scale with “deeper grooves” appearing at level 7, similar to the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
The inner screen, however, was found to be so soft that it could be scratched with a fingernail, making a screen protector a must-have. Fortunately, the inner screen remains safe when the device is folded shut. Nelson also tested the phone’s frame, which lost some of its colour coating when scraped.
Caption – Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold during the dust-resistance test. (Credit – JerryRigEverything On YouTube)
Next came the dust-resistance test. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first foldable smartphone to achieve IP68 dust and water resistance. Nelson confirmed that its inner screen is indeed dust-proof. However, the hinge mechanism didn’t fare as well. Sand and debris caused a noticeable crunching sound, indicating that fine particles could still get trapped inside.
Things escalated during the bend test. Google claims the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s redesigned hinge allows it to withstand a decade’s worth of folds. However, much like its predecessor, the phone snapped when bent backwards. Interestingly, the break didn’t occur at the hinge but along the antenna lines on the left side. Nelson criticised Google for keeping the antenna placement the same as last year, calling it a design oversight.
The real shock came moments later when Nelson tried bending the device further, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s battery began smoking and eventually exploded on camera. Nelson remarked, “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.”
Even after half of the device was charred, Nelson continued examining the other panel, including the camera system, for additional insights. It’s worth noting that if a smartphone ever becomes bent or damaged, users should immediately stop using it and have it inspected by professionals to avoid any potential hazards.
You can check out the full durability test video below –
FAQs
Q1. What happened during the Pixel 10 Pro Fold durability test?
Answer. During YouTuber Zack Nelson’s bend test on JerryRigEverything, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold snapped along its antenna lines, began smoking, and eventually exploded—marking the first smartphone explosion in Nelson’s testing history.
Q2. How did the Pixel 10 Pro Fold perform in scratch and dust tests?
Answer. The cover screen showed typical scratch resistance, while the inner screen was so soft it could be scratched with a fingernail. Though the phone is IP68 certified, its hinge allowed sand and debris to enter, causing a crunching sound.
Q3. What design flaw of Pixel 10 Pro Fold contributed to the device’s durability test failure?
Answer. The break occurred along the antenna lines, not the hinge. Nelson criticized Google for retaining the same antenna placement as the previous model, calling it a design oversight that likely contributed to the structural failure.
