Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
I’ve been writing about technology for more than 12 years, and in that time, I’ve visited my fair share of smartphone assembly lines, design studios, and manufacturing hubs — places where the devices we use every day are built, tested, and refined long before they reach our hands. There’s something special about going behind the scenes, watching some of the brightest minds in the industry at work, and seeing just how much thought and precision go into a product that millions of people will someday rely on daily. During a recent trip to Taipei, Taiwan, I got to experience one such place firsthand: Google’s Pixel Hardware Labs, the company’s second-largest hardware R&D facility outside the US.
Which kind of testing do you care about the most in a smartphone? 0 votes Drop and durability tests NaN % Battery and thermal performance NaN % Camera and audio quality NaN % Connectivity and sensors NaN % Honestly, I just want it to work NaN %
Google doesn’t usually open the doors to this space because it houses over 50 highly specialized and mostly secretive engineering labs under one roof. On this trip, organized by the company, I was part of a select group of journalists from around the world who were allowed inside five of the most fascinating Pixel hardware labs, and what I saw made it very clear why Pixels feel the way they do in daily use.
Editor's Note: We'll soon be publishing a full behind-the-scenes video tour of Google's Pixel hardware labs on Android Authority’s YouTube channel, where you’ll be able to see these tests in action. Stay tuned.
The durability labs
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
My first stop was the Pixel Reliability Lab. This is where Google gets really rough with its phones. One of the first stations I saw was the IPX4 water resistance test. The “X” indicates that the device is not specifically tested for solid particles, such as dust, while the “4” signifies protection against water splashes, simulating scenarios like heavy rain or sweat. This setup checks whether a Pixel can survive everyday water exposure. The phone being tested is mounted on a rotating turntable and is sprayed with water from all angles for about 10 minutes. The display is kept active during this time to monitor for any issues. It’s like the phone is taking a luxurious shower.
Of course, this isn’t the only test Google conducts to assess water resistance. Most Pixel flagships, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, are IP68-rated, and to achieve that, Google has to run separate full-immersion tests. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see that during my visit to the lab.
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
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