Warren Buffett on coronavirus, capitalism & why he replaced his old phone with an iPhone

Berkshire's billionaire CEO Warren Buffett — legendary investor and one of Apple's biggest shareholders — has finally traded in his old flip phone for an iPhone.

In an interview to CNBC, Buffett covered a wide array of topics ranging from his thoughts on Democratic presidential contenders Bernie Sanders and Michael Bloomberg to cryptocurrencies to his new smartphone.

"My flip phone is permanently gone. The number's been changed," he said. He also added on a lighter note that he might crush his old phone at Berkshire Hathaway's upcoming annual meeting in May.


Buffett has been known for deliberately keeping away from smartphones, preferring instead to use a Samsung flip phone until recently.

He, however, disagreed with Sanders' plan to give workers larger ownership stakes, rivaling those of investors, on corporate boards. Buffett said he would choose Mike Bloomberg — the former New York City mayor who's amassed a sizable fortune of his own — over Sanders.

Berkshire Hathaway is one of the most valuable companies in the US, worth more than $560 billion. Buffett's company holds sizeable chunks of blue-chip names like Apple, Bank of America (BAC), Coca-Cola (CCEP) and American Express (AXP).