When deciding to invest in a new smartphone, most people want to make sure that the device they’re buying can withstand the wear and tear of daily use. Unfortunately, it looks like the Google Pixel 7 Pro may not fare too well in the long run.
A recent durability test video posted by YouTuber JerryRigEverything showed that there are two major problems that Pixel 7 Pro owners might want to keep in mind over the device’s lifespan: the poor durability of the camera bar, and how easily the phone’s frame can bend.
By scratching it in multiple areas with a boxcutter, the durability test pushes the Pixel 7 Pro much further than most phones would encounter in everyday use. But when it comes time to test the camera bar, it isn’t able to withstand much. When scratched with everyday items that a phone may come in contact with — like keys or coins — the camera bar took some visible damage after only a few seconds of contact.
Seeing these results, it seems like the Pixel 7 Pro might look pretty distressed and beat up after only a few months. Obviously, the mileage that different device owners will have will vary, but it seems like the camera bar may end up looking a little worse for wear pretty quickly unless protected by a case or other protector.
The other potentially worrying discovery that the test brought to light is how easy it is to bend the Pixel 7 Pro’s frame at the antenna line. When putting pressure on the phone’s back, it seems to flex pretty dramatically just below the camera bar. It’s able to be bent back in the general shape that it was before, but following the first bend, the Pixel 7 Pro seems to look a lot looser and willing to rebend underneath the camera bar again.
Overall, the Pixel 7 Pro may have a lot going for it when it comes to its software, but in terms of its hardware durability, the phone leaves a lot to be desired. This isn’t to say that the Pixel 7 Pro is flimsy, as it stands up to plenty of other scratch testing on the display, but rather that buyers should consider keeping it safe in a case. Luckily, there are already plenty of Pixel 7 Pro cases to choose from, allowing you to keep your phone safe without spending an arm and a leg.
Two new highly requested iCloud plugins just got added to ChatGPT, giving people who rely on Apple’s Mail and Calendar services a way to search emails, check appointments, and manage their schedules directly through the chatbot.
The integration is rolling out to all ChatGPT plans, including the free tier. You can access it on the web, desktop, and iOS.
Google Play is borrowing one of the Nintendo Switch’s most useful little tricks. A new Sidekick tool called Playbacks captures a short clip after something interesting has already happened, sparing players from running a screen recorder throughout an entire game.
Playbacks is part of Google Play Store v53.8 and keeps saved clips on the phone. Google first announced it earlier this month, but the new Play Store update marks its arrival for players. Anyone who has watched a perfect win vanish because the record button came too late already understands the appeal.
Samsung’s scandal over its Game Optimizing Service, or GOS, has returned with a bill attached. South Korea’s Fair Trade Commission has tentatively fined the company 20.1 billion won, or about $15.1 million, over gaming claims made for the Galaxy S21, Galaxy S22, and Tab S8.
The regulator says Samsung promoted the devices as gaming powerhouses without disclosing that GOS placed preset CPU and GPU limits on certain demanding games. Samsung disputes that conclusion, calling GOS a legitimate way to manage heat.