Sat. Mar 7th, 2026

This phone starts fires on purpose

This phone starts fires on purpose is currently attracting attention in the technology world.
Experts believe this development may influence how digital platforms evolve
over the coming years.

The topic has already sparked discussions among developers, analysts,
and industry observers who are closely monitoring how the situation unfolds.

On The Vergecast: The phones we saw at MWC, a surprising twist in the Epic / Google fight, and a moment of movie bliss.

On The Vergecast: The phones we saw at MWC, a surprising twist in the Epic / Google fight, and a moment of movie bliss.

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Until now, most mobile phone companies have worked to ensure their phones won’t start fires. (Occasional Samsung devices excepted, of course.) But this week at Mobile World Congress, we found a company that dared to go in a different direction. Oukitel’s WP63 rugged smartphone includes a built-in fire starter, and this is what it looks like:

On this episode of The Vergecast, The Verge’s Dominic Preston joins Nilay to explain the existence of this particular mobile device, as well as wrap up all the weird and wonderful gadgets he and the team saw at MWC. There was also a “robot phone” that dances to (and so far, only to) “Believer” by Imagine Dragons.

Verge subscribers, don’t forget you get exclusive access to ad-free Vergecast wherever you get your podcasts. Head here. Not a subscriber? You can sign up here.

Then, The Verge’s Sean Hollister helps us make sense of Google and Epic’s enemies-to-lovers saga. The end of 30 percent app store fees, the secret $800 million deal, a non-disparagement agreement, and something about the metaverse.

But before all that, we share a rare moment of unfiltered gadget joy. Nilay just had “the single most incredible experience I’ve ever had watching a movie in my house, in my entire life,” thanks to the Kaleidescape 8TB solid-state server. Scenes of rain or confetti have never looked better. This is all it takes to make Nilay happy.

In the lightning round: Audience metrics indicate Verge readers are more interested in the Kobo Remote than most of Apple’s new product announcements, Dom’s charging his phone on a li’l racing car, and Sean’s on the plastic brick beat with Clear Drop’s Soft Plastic Compactor and disappointment about the Lego smart brick’s debut playsets. Plus, Brendan Carr is still a dummy.

If you want to know more about everything we discuss in this episode, here are some links to get you started, first on MWC:

Why This Matters

This development highlights the rapid pace of innovation in the technology sector.
Companies are constantly pushing boundaries in order to stay competitive.

Analysts suggest that such changes could influence future product design,
user expectations, and industry standards.

Looking Ahead

As technology continues to evolve, developments like this may shape the next
generation of digital services and consumer experiences.

Industry watchers will continue to monitor how this story develops and what
impact it may have on the broader technology landscape.

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