Overview

• JerryRigEverything’s October 14 video shows the Pixel 10 Pro Fold snapping at the familiar antenna-line weak spot before the internal battery smoked and ignited.
• Zack Nelson said it was the first time in a decade of his standardized phone tests that a device has gone “up in smoke.”
• Sand introduced during a dust trial produced grinding in the hinge despite the phone’s IP68 rating and Google’s emphasis on a redesigned, gearless hinge.
• iFixit’s Elizabeth Chamberlain described the event as an extreme-test thermal runaway likely caused by a battery short after structural damage, noting the battery appeared not to be discharged.
• Multiple outlets reported Google had not provided an immediate comment, as analysts noted potential consumer confidence effects and comparisons to Samsung’s recent Galaxy Z Fold models.