Smartphone batteries can be seized for various reasons, but such cases happen mostly for a few specific reasons, said Eldar Murtazin, a leading analyst at Mobile Research Group.

One of the two most common reasons for a smartphone to catch fire is damage to the battery case, which is caused by dropping the phone frequently, the expert noted. The second reason is the use of a low-quality charger or an external charger (power bank) without a regulator, which can transfer more energy than the battery can accept.

Murtazin also noted that the battery might overheat and fail if the smartphone is left under direct sunlight. He warned that if the battery is swollen and protruding from its case, it is not safe to use such a device, as it can catch fire and cause serious burns.

However, according to the expert, in most cases, when the battery catches fire, smartphones simply start smoking. Full ignition is extremely rare and requires certain conditions such as wet weather or when the device is dropped in water, especially if the battery case is damaged.

Murtazin recommends replacing the battery regularly, every two or three years. If the user notices the smartphone starts to work less per charge or less efficiently, the specialist recommends replacing the battery.

Cases of phones catching fire happen quite often. Recently, the Redmi Note 10 Pro smartphone caught fire and melted while charging next to the sleeping owner. In the case of another citizen, his recently purchased Redmi Note 12 Pro smartphone caught fire in his pocket while he was working in the field. Recently, a OnePlus 8 Pro smartphone also exploded, moreover, when the phone was neither being used nor being charged. Another case was registered in the USA, when the charging iPhone 4 caught fire.

However, there are cases that are more tragic. For example, an 8-year-old girl died this year due to the explosion of the Redmi Note 5 Pro battery in India. Forensic examination showed that the battery exploded due to overheating, even though the phone was not charging at the time.

Learn more about the causes of exploding smartphones in the NEWS.am Tech article.