Expert issues warning to iPhone and Android users as viral video shows phone flashlight melting through plastic
Publish Date: 2026-04-27 07:48:00
Source Domain: www.uniladtech.com
A TikTok video shocked viewers online as it appeared to show the flashlight of a Samsung device melting through a plastic bag.
The clip naturally sparked concern on social media, with many people questioning just how safe their smartphones are.
Now, one expert has spoken out to issue a warning to both iPhone and Android users, offering advice on how people can reduce the risk of this happening to them.
The video posted to TikTok by @neev.akavak has been viewed over 13 million times which shows the user holding their Samsung flashlight up to a plastic bag, with the light appearing to melt a hole in seconds.
One expert has revealed that this isn’t as shocking as you might think as ‘modern smartphone LEDs are incredibly powerful’.
Speaking exclusively to UNILAD Tech, Lee Elliott, who is the chief product officer at Compare and Recycle, explained: “Standard LED bulbs typically reach temperatures of around 63-80°C (145-176°F) at their hottest point, but a high-intensity phone flash, particularly at maximum brightness or in an enclosed space at close range, can intensify that heat significantly.
“According to Lumileds, who supply flash LEDs to major smartphone brands including Apple, the LEDs used in phones run at between 80-85°C (176-185°F).”
These kinds of temperatures are more than hot enough to impact certain materials, particularly thin, synthetic plastics such as the plastic bag in the video.
However, despite the viral clip, Elliot stressed that melting plastic is not the same as starting a fire.
He continued: “For everyday materials and everyday use, an outright fire is unlikely, but it’s not impossible under the right conditions. What we’re seeing in these videos is heat-induced melting rather than combustion, which requires a much higher temperature.
“That said, powerful LED flashlights left active in an enclosed space have been flagged as a potential fire hazard in safety guidance before, particularly if the heat has nowhere to dissipate and the…
