Technology

Bill Gates didn’t allow cell phones until his kids turned 14

Written by Ali Raza ·  1 min read >
Microsoft founder and philanthropist Bill Gates speaks at the "Uniting to Combat Neglected Tropical Diseases" conference at the Royal College of Physicians in London

Despite all of the modern children being constantly glued to their phones, it’s known that Bill Gates, the former Microsoft CEO, didn’t allow such a behavior while his kids were growing up.

He stated that “We often set a time after which there is no screen time and in their case that helps them get to sleep at a reasonable hour.” He also didn’t even allow them to have cell phones before they turned 14, and even then, there were strict rules about when and where they can be used.

Still, many would say that they didn’t even need the cell phones since their father is a world’s richest man and that they probably owned much more luxurious comforts than a regular old cell phone.

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We’re curious, though, do they have access to Apple products? Back in 2013, Melinda Gates stated that their children only receive Windows devices, even though they asked for Apple products. Gates has stated that this is true and that their wealth came from Microsoft, so why invest in a competitor. He also said something similar during the interview with the Vogue, when he said that his children aren’t allowed to use iPods or iPhones.

Some believe this to be the ultimate parenting strategy, where you don’t allow your kids to even own smartphones until they’re 14. Once they finally get one, you give it to them for a limited time. With all of these rules, they won’t even care which one they got.

On the other hand, Melinda Gates herself has stated that she sometimes feels a bit of jealousy of others since the no-Apple-products rule is applied to her too, and even Bill himself. Even he said that “Every now and then I look at my friends and say ‘Ooh, I wouldn’t mind having that iPhone’.” Still, not a great many people feel especially sorry for the richest family in the world, even though they’re bound to live in an Apple-less world.

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