Skip to main content

Redditor’s Samsung Galaxy S3 explodes in the middle of the night

lz8FV3hh
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We don’t think much of our smartphones when we put them in the charger at night and head to bed. While sometimes they may just go dead on us from some sort of malfunction, it’s rare indeed for our phones to attempt to destroy themselves, and us. For one unlucky Redditor, his smartphone ended up going up in smoke – literally.

Sometimes we forget smartphones are full of a lot of dangerous things that we coincidentally put right near our faces. Even when you get past the paranoia over radiation and brain cancer, cell phones are full of dangerous materials – not to mention a battery that can potentially overheat and explode. In the case of one visitor to the popular website Reddit, this is exactly what happened. While it was charging, his Samsung Galaxy S3’s battery malfunctioned, causing it to explode and catch fire. The battery filled his room with smoke, ruined his bedsheets and destroyed his S3. While the photo itself tells much of the story, the Redditor also noted that his phone, battery, and charging cable were all from Samsung, and that his phone was not rooted. This means only something malfunctioning with the phone or charging adapter could have lead to this catastrophe.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen the self-destruct feature make its way to our gadgets. Back in 2010, a man claimed his Motorola Droid 2 exploded near his ear, causing him injury. A similar battery explosion also occurred with someone’s Nexus S in the past, but the act itself (and similar phone-related hazards) is still rare. This has not stopped conspiracy theories about everything from explosions to electrocutions making their way onto forums, chain e-mails, and everywhere in between.

If you’re interested in seeing all the phone-fatal photos then feel free to go look at the whole album here. While a self-destructing phone may be something you’d be excited to see in the next James Bond flick, it’s not something we want to see in real life. Samsung is in the process of getting us a statement, and is aware of this incident. Hopefully it all turns out well for this unlucky smartphone owner.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Joshua Sherman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Joshua Sherman is a contributor for Digital Trends who writes about all things mobile from Apple to Zynga. Josh pulls his…
TORRAS Ostand series for Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra adds features and it’s on sale
TORRAS Ostand Series case for Galaxy S24 Ultra used outdoors

Your new phone needs a case, but why settle for any boring old case? TORRAS makes a point of delivering truly functional, next-level cases for various mobile devices, including Samsung's brand-new Galaxy S24 Ultra. The case in question is called the Ostand series, and it has been painstakingly designed to enhance your mobile experience and even add to it. Allow us to explain. It introduces unique lens protection technology to keep the quality telephoto lens on the S24 Ultra safe and protected while still maintaining full clarity. You get gorgeous, pro-grade pictures, plus you can use the built-in 360-degree rotating case stand to get unique shots -- you can take photographs with the stability of a tripod. That's not all. It works well with Samsung's smart note-taking features, protects the speakers from dust and debris while preserving audio quality, adopts a subtle curved design to match the S24 Ultra's unique display, and much more. As TORRAS boldly claims, it's "more than a case." Why not take it for a spin or keep reading to learn what else it can do? Spoiler: It’s not just a case!
Order Now
 
Why you need the TORRAS Ostand Series case for your Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Featuring a lightweight titanium alloy exterior that's both lighter and more manageable than its predecessor, the Samsung S24 Ultra sets the bar for ultra-portable phones. But when you slap a case on it, at least usually, that all goes away. Not with TORRAS' Ostand series, as it emphasizes lightness and slimness. The phone still feels lightweight and enjoyable but looks as stunning as it does without any protection. More importantly, the Ostand series case is the perfect companion for your S24 Ultra, and here's why:

Read more
Best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals: Save big on unlocked models
The back of the Galaxy S22 and Galaxy S22 Plus.

Samsung recently released the Samsung Galaxy S24, and one of the best times to get yourself some savings on outgoing models is right after a new product release. That makes the Samsung Galaxy S22 a hot commodity when it comes to landing a deal right now, as it's the new "old" device and there are a lot of Samsung Galaxy S22 deals available to pounce on. It’s been a popular phone for quite some time and still can compete with the hardware we’re seeing in many of the best phones. You’ll be able to find Galaxy S22 deals at a number of different retailers, and we’ve done the heavy lifting of tracking them all down and putting them in one place. Read onward for the current best Samsung Galaxy S22 deals and some information on where it’s best to buy.
Samsung Galaxy S22 deals at Samsung

Samsung will be the first place to go to if you're looking for discounts on the Samsung Galaxy S22. The unlocked version of the 128GB model is still going for its retail price of $700, but you can get up to $525 off by trading in your current smartphone. This drops its price to just $175 if you get a full trade-in value, and that credit can also go toward the Samsung Galaxy S22+, which is regularly priced at $1,000.

Read more
The Samsung Galaxy S24 just got destroyed in this camera test
Samsung Galaxy S24 in Gray (left) and OnePlus 12 in Flowy Emerald.

For many people, a reason to upgrade their smartphone regularly is for the improved camera upgrades that companies include each year for flagship devices. We’re still early on in the year, and both Samsung and OnePlus have launched their next generation of flagship devices with the Galaxy S24 and OnePlus 12.

Both phones are powered with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip for fast performance, come with 8GB–16GB RAM, plenty of storage, and the latest version of Android 14. And to top things off, the cameras on both are impressive, with the OnePlus having slightly better specs.

Read more