Do the super-rich use gold-plated phones? At the recent Jio IPO event, the Ambani family's devices told a different story. Mukesh Ambani, Akash Ambani and Anant Ambani were all spotted as iPhone users, but with very different tastes, and the device that drew the most attention was not a phone at all.
At the event, Mukesh Ambani was seen with an iPhone Air, which he was also spotted handing to his grandson. Akash Ambani was spotted using Apple's latest folding phone, the iPhone Duo, a device pitched at business leaders for multitasking and on-the-go work. The sightings underline a simple point: even among the wealthiest families, the choice is often an ordinary flagship phone, not a jewel-encrusted one.
Anant's choice and the cosmic orange Pro Max
Not everyone chases the newest device, and Anant Ambani's sighting made that point. After the event, outside Mumbai's Babulnath temple, Anant was seen using an iPhone 17 Pro Max, identified by its size and its signature Cosmic Orange colour from the iPhone 17 Pro series. The sighting suggested he is in no rush to change phones the moment a new model arrives, unlike many buyers who upgrade at the first opportunity.
The blue slate that stole the show
Away from the iPhones, the most talked-about device at the event was a blue slate-like gadget in the hands of the family's children, including Prithvi Ambani. Where children are usually seen glued to phones or expensive tablets, the Ambani children were given a harmless LCD writing slate instead.
The slate is very light, has no internet connectivity, and is used only for writing and doodling. At first glance it was hard for some onlookers to identify, but a closer look matched it to this kind of writing slate: a very slim design with a single button on the front that erases what has been written. Larger versions of such slates are common, but a compact, handy slate makes sense to carry for children at an event, and it was the device that generated the most discussion of all.
