Pixel 3 bricked from Anker wireless stand - local shop cannot find problem

[mustang7757]

No, I never noticed the phone getting hot with it on there.
I had it in a Ringke case with an Anker magnetic sticker on the bottom (still charged with it on there). I would charge it that way.

I remember - earlier that day I had it outside in the sun for maybe 30 minutes. My son started using it right after that for an AR game that uses a lot of its memory. I saw a notification after that that it was going to power off b/c of the heat but I guess it never got hot enough b/c he said it never did that. It was just hot when he got it but then it cooled down. After that I charged it with a cord for a bit and used it normally the rest of the day. Then that night at around 11pm I put it on the wireless charger.

So - could a combination of these things cause failure? It was working normally all evening after the heat incident.

I contacted Anker and they want to help me figure it out. They are helping more than Google.

Did phone get recognized if plugged to a computer?

 

[tori729]

Did phone get recognized if plugged to a computer?

nope

 

[mustang7757]

nope

Yeah thats bad , probably going end up getting another phone for the cost it probably be to fix that.

 

[tori729]

Yeah thats bad , probably going end up getting another phone for the cost it probably be to fix that.

Yeah thanks I knew that lol
Currently using an old Moto with Android 6 and waiting impatiently for the Pixel 4a...

 

[mustang7757]

Yeah thanks I knew that lol
Currently using an old Moto with Android 6 and waiting impatiently for the Pixel 4a...

Nice choice pixel 4a

 

[Golfdriver97]

So - could a combination of these things cause failure? It was working normally all evening after the heat incident.

Sorry it took so long to reply. I couldn't find any info on what temp the Pixel will shut down due to heat. However: Most CPUs will at least throttle at 100 degrees C. This is a built in safety so the CPU won't fry itself to death. Common electrical solder will melt between 90 and 450 C <link>. I'd guess a lot has to do with what makes up the solder. Softer metals like lead lower the melting point.

Thermal throttling (of desktop CPUs at least) happens just above the low point in the range I listed. Ambient temperatures don't help really, and keep in mind, these are basically pocket computers we are carrying, and every computer CPU needs a way to disperse heat. In a laptop/desktop, there are fans. A phone has to passively cool itself. Glass backs and cases don't really help (glass is a very good insulator, and plastic/rubber is no slouch either).

It's possible all these things combined made for the perfect storm for this to happen. The downside is, until the phone is cracked open, we won't really know what happened. This could be the result of many things. Other variables we haven't even considered yet. I've seen a fried desktop CPU go, Nothing was wrong with the cooling or manufacturing....it just went.

Overall....I'd say just be careful as to what the phone is going through. Some games can put a phone through the ringer.

Sorry for the long winded post. Hope it wasn't too boring?

 

[tori729]

Thanks for the well thought out answer. It's very possible it was a combination of all of them. I'm sure I've left a phone out in the sun for a bit before. This is the first phone I've used for an AR game but it's been used/played for a few months now. And first phone I've done wireless charging on and probably the last lol.
I think with all of this, I'm at least a little relieved that it could have been a combination of things rather than one specific thing and that it could have just been a fluke. With this in mind, I'm going to be foregoing wireless charging technology for now and be more careful about having my phone out in the sun. And since my phone is in pristine condition otherwise, maybe I can recoup some money for parts...

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Thanks for the well thought out answer. It's very possible it was a combination of all of them. I'm sure I've left a phone out in the sun for a bit before. This is the first phone I've used for an AR game but it's been used/played for a few months now. And first phone I've done wireless charging on and probably the last lol.
I think with all of this, I'm at least a little relieved that it could have been a combination of things rather than one specific thing and that it could have just been a fluke. With this in mind, I'm going to be foregoing wireless charging technology for now and be more careful about having my phone out in the sun. And since my phone is in pristine condition otherwise, maybe I can recoup some money for parts...

What a lovely polite answer. I do hope you manage to get a 4a and good luck with your future purchase.