The battery in our cheap Chinese smartphone expanded and cracked the screen

We've tested hundreds of smartphones over the years from budget models all the way up to flagship offerings. Duds, although uncommon, have become inevitable as we've occasionally experienced faulty MicroSD readers, headphone jacks, SIM slots, and audio static just to name a few. Our latest smartphone failure is probably the most serious one yet.

After almost three years of use, the battery in our Leagoo Alfa 1 smartphone suddenly decided to expand to the point where even the screen cracked from the amplifying pressure. We immediately popped open the removable plastic back cover only to find gaps around the edges of the ballooned battery pack as shown below.

It's worth noting that we had never exposed the smartphone to any hazardous or abnormal conditions that may have caused the battery to swell. Funnily enough, the smartphone would still power on after reinserting the battery.

Not that we recommend such an action, of course.

Faulty batteries have been the cause of numerous product recalls over the years ranging from smartphones all the way up to laptops. Fujitsu laptops, Nvidia tablets, HP PCs, and the infamous Galaxy Note 7 are just a handful of recent victims necessitating costly recalls.

Source(s)