Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold: The First Smartphone to Explode in a Durability Test – What Happened?
Hold onto your chargers, tech fans—because Google’s latest foldable just went from “fold” to “fold and EXPLODE” in the most dramatic way possible. We’re talking fire alarms blaring, smoke everywhere, and a $1,800 phone turning into a tech campfire. If you’ve been eyeing the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, buckle up as we break down this explosive saga in true BuzzFeed fashion. Spoiler: It’s the first phone to straight-up blow up during a standard durability test. 😱
1. The Test That Turned Into a Firework Show 🔥
Picture this: Zack Nelson, the durability king from JerryRigEverything (with almost 10 million subs, no biggie), grabs Google’s shiny new Pixel 10 Pro Fold for his usual torture session. This bad boy boasts a Tensor G5 chip, 16GB RAM, and that fancy 8-inch inner screen. But things got real during the bend test. 10
Nelson applies some pressure to the hinge area—standard stuff he’s done to hundreds of phones. Boom! The phone snaps along its antenna lines right near the hinge. (Pro tip: That’s the same weak spot that doomed the original Pixel Fold and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. Google, you had one job!) 10
But wait, it gets worse. When he tries to straighten it out? The battery’s layers get pinched, causing a short circuit. Cue heavy smoke, an actual explosion, and the fire alarm going off in his studio. This all happened at the 7:25 mark in his teardown video, and it’s the first time in a decade of testing that a phone has exploded on him. 10 We’re not kidding—watch the vid if you dare, but maybe keep a fire extinguisher handy.
Before the boom, he even dumped sand into the hinge to test dust resistance (it’s IP68-rated, allegedly). Crunchy sounds ensued, proving dust got in there like uninvited party crashers. 10
2. Why Did It Go Kaboom? The Sci-Fi Explanation 💥
Okay, science time! The culprit? Thermal runaway in the phone’s pouch-style lithium-ion battery. 10 These batteries are like rolled-up foil sheets. When the phone cracked and Nelson bent it back, those layers smooshed together, sparking a short circuit. All that energy dumped out at once, heating up to over 1,000 degrees Celsius in a self-feeding fire frenzy. 10
It’s not like Nelson was using a blowtorch—this is the same test he’s run on every major phone without issues. But that antenna line placement? A total design fail that’s carried over from previous models. Zack called it out like building a third Death Star with the same weak exhaust port. Epic analogy, Zack. 👏
3. Google’s Epic Fail and Silence 😬
Google hyped this as their “most durable foldable yet,” with a gearless hinge that’s supposedly twice as tough and that groundbreaking IP68 rating for dust and water. 10 They claimed it could handle over a decade of folds. But after two prior flops with the same antenna issue, they didn’t fix it? Come on, team Pixel!
As of now, Google hasn’t said a peep in response to the test. 10 Zack’s advice? Move those antenna lines, stat, or he’ll keep breaking ‘em. We’re all waiting for that official statement—maybe it’ll drop with a software update called “Explosion Fix”? 2 “The Pixel 10 Pro Fold before it met its fiery fate.” “LEFT” “SMALL”
4. Should You Still Drop $1,800 on This Thing? 🤔
Look, Zack’s tests are extreme—like, “what if your phone gets run over by a truck” level. Other reviewers say it holds up fine in real life, surviving beach sand and saltwater without a hitch. 10 But if you’re the type who bends your phone backward for fun (who isn’t?), maybe think twice.
Zack isn’t saying boycott it—he just wants better designs. For most users, it’s probably safe… as long as you don’t JerryRig it. If you’re all in on foldables, wait for a potential recall or fix. Or, y’know, stick with non-explosive options.
5. The Internet Is Losing It (As Expected) 😂
Twitter (or X, whatever) is blowing up harder than the phone itself. Memes about “Pixel Fire Fold” are everywhere, and Samsung stans are cackling. One user quipped, “Google’s new feature: Built-in fireworks!” Others are defending it, saying it’s just one test. Either way, this is peak 2025 tech drama.
What do you think? Would you still buy the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, or is this a hard pass? Drop your hot takes in the comments! 🚀
