Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold Exploded During Durability Test

Since Smartphones are part of our day-to-day life, we expect them to be safe and durable. But recently, Google’s latest Pixel 10 Pro Fold made a lot of headlines for a shocking reason. The smartphone exploded during a durability test by YouTuber Zack Nelson, popularly known as JerryRigEverything. Of course, this should not be a major concern for regular users, as the YouTuber put the device under extreme pressure during the test, but it is still something to be wary of.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold caught fire in an extreme bend test

In August 2025, Google launched its latest foldable smartphone, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The device arrives as the company’s most durable foldable yet, with a new gearless hinge and IP68 water and dust resistance rating. It uses a larger 5,015 mAh battery with a run time of up to 30+ hours. However, the phone didn’t survive JerryRigEverything’s usual extreme test.

During the test, Zack unfolded the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and then bent it backward with enough force. Unfortunately, the device broke, raising questions about its durability. Furthermore, when he applied intense pressure, the battery overheated and caught fire, triggering a smoke alarm.

“Surprisingly, in the decade that I’ve been durability-testing phones, I have never had a smartphone explode before,” Nelson said. “The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the first phone to go up in smoke.” The YouTuber also said that this was an extreme test, which he conducted on every mainstream smartphone made in the past 10 years. But this is the first time a phone failed so spectacularly.

However, iFixit’s Elizabeth Chamberlain said (via The Verge) that because the Pixel 10 Pro Fold’s battery caught fire in the test, it doesn’t mean there is a problem with the design. Zack probably didn’t discharge the battery before bending the device (new phones usually come with over 60% charge). Normally, it’s safer to have the battery below 25% when conducting such an extreme test.

As of this writing, Google has not commented on this incident. Meanwhile, if you are looking for an alternative to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Samsung’s latest Galaxy Z Fold 7 could be a solid pick. As part of a limited promotion, you can buy the 512GB model at the price of the 256GB version.