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Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold is grabbing headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. The flagship model recently caught fire during a durability test by well-known YouTuber JerryRigEverything. The phone allegedly started smoking and caught fire after being bent to impossible extremes, setting off a smoke detector halfway through the test. The ordeal has since gone viral, raising questions about the phone’s construction and battery safety.
Reports indicate that the blaze resulted from a battery puncture after the device cracked along a structural weak point near the antenna line, a region that was known to be delicate in previous Pixel Fold models. The malfunction caused a thermal runaway, a series reaction where the battery overheats indefinitely, producing smoke and fire. Experts add that the test conditions were extreme, but the incident highlights possible pitfalls in foldable phone design.
Google has declared Pixel 10 Pro Fold ‘the most durable foldable to date’ due to its IP68 dust and water resistance rating and the better hinge. Nevertheless, the test revealed that dust got into the hinge area and the hinge broke under stress, which made the company’s durability claims questionable.
This is no doubt a setback for Google, particularly when foldables are being promoted as regular, reliable, albeit expensive, devices rather than delicate products for occasional use.
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Google hasn’t yet made an official announcement about the incident. Analysts believe the firm will need to revisit the battery housing and hinge reinforcement in later designs. Although such stress tests are above and beyond standard usage, the blazing failure rekindled controversy surrounding the safety and durability of future-generation foldable smartphones.
