Google claimed it was three times stronger. Pixel 11 Pro Fold cracked in the same spot as its predecessors

Zack Nelson from the JerryRigEverything channel is one of the things phone manufacturers fear most. While his tests have nothing to do with everyday use, they reliably show where the construction has its weakest point. And for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, this spot is exactly the same for the fourth time in a row.

Fourth generation, fourth crack in the same spot

When bent backward, the phone broke along both antenna lines right next to the hinge. Antenna lines are narrow non-metallic inserts in the frame, without which the phone would not receive a signal – but they also create a break in the structure. And Google placed them in all four of its foldables exactly where the greatest mechanical stress occurs during folding.

The original Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold all cracked at the same point in previous tests. This year, something new was added: the front glass completely peeled off the frame when broken, without any wiring or other components remaining attached to it.

What Google promised during the presentation

The marketing numbers, however, sounded convincing. Google spoke of a construction that is three times more durable than its predecessor, a new gearless hinge tested for 83 million open and close cycles, and an outer display with a ceramic layer that is supposed to be twice as scratch-resistant.

Even the last point was not confirmed by the test. The outer screen scratched at level six on the Mohs scale of hardness with deeper grooves at level seven, which is roughly what we commonly see on phones. The dust test was also interesting: despite IP68 rating, fine particles got into the hinge.

Do you care about durability in foldables, or is something else entirely decisive for you?

Sources: Trusted Reviews, 9to5Google