Anand Ahuja is known for building fashion and sneaker businesses such as Bhaane and VegNonVeg. But beyond fashion, he is also a long-time Apple fan — someone who remembers buying his first iPhone at around 1 AM from Apple’s Fifth Avenue store in New York. He still has the first photos he took with that iPhone. Years later, that personal connection with Apple took him to the company’s headquarters in Cupertino for the Apple launch event on September 9.
For Ahuja, the visit was more than just attending another product launch. He explored Apple Park, met new Apple CEO John Ternus and got to experience the company he had followed for years from the inside.
And while Apple’s first foldable iPhone — the Duo — may have grabbed attention worldwide, Ahuja’s personal choice was clear: “The Pro is the go-to phone.”
Why Apple Park Was Special
Even after all these years, Apple still managed to surprise him.
“I was just nervous going in because I didn’t want to be disappointed. But it was incredible. It matched and surpassed my expectations,” he told Times Now Tech.
“I obviously admire Steve Jobs a lot. A lot of people in my cohort really looked up to him as an entrepreneur and thought leader. Sometimes, you think people in a company might be scared to talk about his stories. But everyone there was very proud of those stories and spoke about them very openly. I was surprised to see that they weren’t shy about talking about him. They weren’t scared of the shadow he left or trying to follow in his footsteps. It was an incredible experience in that way,” he said.
Ahuja also got the opportunity to meet John Ternus. The interaction was special for another reason, as both of them share a connection with the University of Pennsylvania. They also spoke about their common interest in Porsche cars.
“He’s also a big car enthusiast, and I had heard that he was a big Porsche enthusiast. So I asked him if that was true, and he said it was.” Ahuja said.
Ahuja described Ternus as a “hardcore product person”. The meeting gave him an opportunity to see the person behind the products and understand the level of attention that goes into building Apple devices. For Ahuja, meeting Ternus was special because he got to interact with someone who is closely involved in building Apple’s products.
iPhone Duo Is Special, But The Pro Is The Real Deal
The iPhone Duo was one of the major talking points around the launch. Its design and form factor make it different from the regular iPhone models, and Ahuja believes it is a special product.
However, when it comes to his personal preference, he is clear that the iPhone 18 Pro is the device he would choose.
“The Pro is the go-to phone,” Ahuja said.
“Everyone is sort of overlooking the Pro because they’re talking about the iPhone Duo. But I think the jumps they’ve made in the Pro phone are incredible, especially with the battery life and the speed with the new chip. The Duo is going to be great. It’s a very special phone for a very special type of user. But the iPhone 18 Pro is really perfected,” he said.
For the iPhone Duo, Ahuja added: “There’s a certain type of user that I recommend the Duo for. Obviously, it’s more expensive and the iPhone Pro is a bit lighter. So someone using the Duo has to be very committed to it. I know the type of user the Duo is perfect for. There’s a specific type of user for whom the Duo is going to solve so many things.
But I still think that for a lot of people, the Pro is a more usable phone day to day. Try the Duo, play with it and see how it feels. If you’re going to buy it, you have to commit to spending that price.
The Pro is going to suit everyone. I would tell people to go and see the Duo in stores and check if it suits their personality. The Pro, meanwhile, is going to suit everyone.:
Apart from the iPhones, the popular entrepreneur also spoke about some of the other new Apple products he likes. He mentioned the new open-ear AirPods and the ceramic Apple Watch as products that caught his attention at the launch event.
From A Mac At School To His First iPhone
Ahuja’s Apple journey began long before he bought his first iPhone. He recalled buying it from the Fifth Avenue Apple Store in New York, which was open 24 hours at the time. He had been out for dinner and was walking home when he decided to visit the store.
“I bought my first iPhone from the Fifth Avenue store in New York, which was the first iPhone itself,” Ahuja said.
The timing made the experience even more memorable. He bought the phone at around 1 AM. He still has the first photos he took with that iPhone.
For Ahuja, this is what makes tech personal. Products are not only about specifications, cameras or processors. They also become connected to important moments, places and memories.
Ahuja’s connection with Apple is also visible in the number of products he uses.
He currently has two iPhones, including an iPhone SE and a Pro model. His Apple setup also includes an iPad, MacBook, Mac mini, AirPods and AirPods Max. Each device has a different role in his daily routine.
Talking about the iPad, Ahuja said he uses it for “presentations, notes, FaceTime and work calls”. His MacBook, meanwhile, remains the device he uses for his main work.
