AI-powered search startup Perplexity, backed by Nvidia, is reportedly in talks with several smartphone manufacturers to have its new browser, Comet, included on upcoming devices. According to Reuters, the company is pushing to either make Comet the default browser or offer it as a pre-installed app.
This approach echoes Google’s strategy that made Chrome dominant on Android devices and Apple’s tight integration of Safari into iPhones. Together, Chrome and Safari command about 94% of the mobile browser market. Perplexity is now positioning Comet as a fresh alternative in that space.
But Comet isn’t just another browser. Built on the same Chromium engine that powers Chrome, it functions more like an AI assistant than a typical web browser. It can search, summarize articles, book appointments, manage emails—and if allowed, even use your calendar and inbox to make smart decisions or automate tasks.
Perplexity’s CEO, Aravind Srinivas, says the goal isn’t just to rival tech giants like Google or Apple—it’s to change how people engage with information entirely. Instead of searching and clicking through links, users would get direct answers or actions taken for them. The company calls this approach agentic browsing, moving from passive search to active, intelligent help.
Privacy is a major focus, too. Unlike most cloud-based assistants, much of Comet’s processing happens directly on the device.
Right now, only users on Perplexity’s $200/month Max plan are testing Comet. But a broader release—including a free version—is on the horizon. Notably, Perplexity isn’t showing ads on the browser—at least for now—which sharply contrasts with Google’s ad-driven model.
The timing is significant. OpenAI is said to be developing its own AI-enhanced browser called “Aura” built on Chromium and integrated with ChatGPT. Google is also working on Project Mariner, a DeepMind-powered assistant that can operate browsers independently—buying tickets, filling forms, and navigating sites.
Perplexity is also making serious moves with hardware makers. It’s reportedly in talks with Samsung to integrate its AI search tools into their devices. Lenovo’s Motorola already has a deal to ship some phones with Perplexity’s AI assistant installed, offering an alternative to Google’s Gemini.
In India, Perplexity recently teamed up with Airtel to give customers a free year of Perplexity Pro. That move led to Perplexity briefly overtaking ChatGPT as the most downloaded iOS app in the country. All this momentum comes on the heels of a fresh $100 million funding round, raising the startup’s valuation to $1.8
