Perplexity Comet AI browser launches for iPhone with built-in assistant and voice search

Perplexity Comet Arrives on iPhone After Desktop and Android Rollout

Perplexity has launched its Comet AI browser for iPhone, marking the completion of a cross-platform expansion that began with its desktop debut in 2025 and continued with an Android release in November 1

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. The Comet AI browser for iOS brings Perplexity's AI assistant directly into the browsing experience, positioning itself as an alternative to Safari and Chrome in Apple's mobile ecosystem 4

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. The app is now available on the Apple App Store, joining existing versions for Android, Windows, and macOS 2

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Built-In Assistant Powers Agentic AI Browsing and Web-Based Tasks

The iPhone version includes a built-in assistant that acts as more than a sidebar chatbot. This agentic AI browsing approach allows the AI assistant to actively navigate pages, complete web-based tasks, and interact with content on behalf of users 4

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. Users can ask the assistant to summarize web pages, compare prices across shopping sites, manage schedules, and even handle email triage 2

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. Perplexity describes Comet as a personal assistant and thinking partner designed to turn curiosity into momentum 1

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. The productivity tool distinguishes itself from traditional browsers by integrating AI capabilities at its core rather than as an add-on feature.

Deep Research Feature and Hybrid Search Experience Enhance Information Gathering

The Comet AI browser for iOS supports Perplexity's Deep Research feature, which ingests information from multiple web sources and produces focused summaries in real time 2

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. This capability proves particularly useful for research-heavy workflows where users need to compare information across multiple sources. The hybrid search experience blends traditional search results for quick answers with AI-generated answers for more complex queries 3

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. Users can search for something straightforward and then follow up with deeper questions to the assistant without switching tabs.

Voice Search Capabilities and Multi-Tab Functionality Streamline Research

One standout feature is voice mode, which enables hands-free interaction with the browser 2

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. Users can ask questions about what they're viewing or even query across multiple open tabs completely hands-free. The voice search capabilities allow for natural language queries, making it easier to explore related topics without leaving the current page. The browser can summarize information across multiple tabs, reducing the need to jump between pages during research sessions 3

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iOS Limitations Include No Extension Support Despite Apple Integration

Due to Apple's platform restrictions, the iOS version lacks extension support, which may limit appeal for power users who rely on third-party add-ons 1

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. However, Comet can be set as the default browser on iPhone and takes advantage of Apple's Liquid Glass technology for a polished visual experience 1

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. The app also includes a built-in ad blocker on mobile for cleaner browsing 3

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. Users can choose which AI model powers their browsing, with options from OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, and others 3

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Privacy Concerns Emerge Over Data Usage and Ad Targeting Practices

Perplexity has been transparent about collecting browsing and search history from Comet to create ad-targeting profiles for serving ads to users 2

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. This raises privacy concerns about how much visibility users are willing to grant an AI assistant that can access emails, tabs, and browsing activity to automate tasks 4

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. The data usage model supports the free version of the browser, though subscription plans offer alternatives. Agentic browsing also introduces potential security risks, as AI agents have shown susceptibility to scams or unreliable information when acting autonomously online 4

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Subscription Plans Drop from $200 to Free with Cross-Platform Sync

In a dramatic pricing shift, Perplexity now offers Comet for free after initially launching at $200 per month on desktop 1

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. Pro and Max subscription plans remain available starting at $20 per month for users seeking additional features 2

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. The iPhone launch enables cross-platform synchronization, allowing users to start research on one device and seamlessly pick up where they left off on another 2

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. A dedicated iPad version has not yet arrived, though the standard Perplexity app remains available for Apple tablets 1

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. Whether this AI-powered browser can pull users away from established browsers like Safari and Chrome will depend on how comfortable they become with handing over browsing control to AI 3

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