Perplexity AI, the startup known for its citation-focused search engine, is making calculated moves onto Android smartphones, reportedly securing a deal with Motorola and now engaging in preliminary discussions with Samsung about integrating its AI assistant onto Galaxy devices.
Should these talks with Samsung mature, users could gain another option alongside Google’s increasingly present Gemini and Samsung’s own Bixby assistant. The nature of a potential Samsung arrangement remains undefined but could involve Perplexity being offered as a selectable default assistant or arriving pre-installed on phones, according to reporting by Bloomberg.
Confirmation of the Motorola partnership is expected soon, potentially coinciding with Motorola’s product event scheduled for April 24th in New York City. Details suggest this agreement involves preloading the Perplexity assistant as an alternative to Google Gemini, possibly including a customized user interface for Motorola’s Razr foldables and dedicated marketing to encourage users to try it out. This established deal provides a concrete example of Perplexity’s strategy to embed its AI directly into the mobile ecosystem.
The assistant itself, launched on Android in January 2025 within the main Perplexity app, allows interaction via text, voice, and even the phone’s camera for visual analysis or understanding on-screen content – a set of features known as multimodal interaction. It aims to handle tasks that span multiple steps, like finding restaurant details and then initiating a booking.
When tested against Google’s offering, some found Perplexity impressive; Android Authority remarked that it made Gemini look bad in comparison and was “more adept than Gemini at understanding prompts and delivering real-time, relevant answers.”
While some suggest it might execute basic commands like calls faster than Google Assistant by skipping verbal readouts, it reportedly lacks integrations like WhatsApp support or recognition of contact nicknames at launch. Perplexity spokesperson Sara Platnick acknowledged this in January, stating, “We’re continuing to add support for more apps and more functionality though, so this is just the starting point.”
Furthermore, a February survey by Android Authority found that while over half of respondents were open to switching from Gemini to Perplexity, the lack of hands-free voice activation similar to “Hey Google” was a sticking point for some.
Challenges Amid the Google-Samsung Alliance
Introducing Perplexity onto Galaxy phones presents an interesting dynamic, given Samsung’s deep and expanding ties with Google. Google Gemini not only powers features like Circle to Search but also underpins other AI capabilities on Samsung’s devices, and the partnership extends into Wear OS and the forthcoming Android XR platform. Just this month, the companies revealed Gemini will integrate with Samsung’s Ballie home robot, launching this summer.
This existing alliance represents a formidable challenge for any third-party AI assistant seeking prime placement. Samsung and Google’s tight partnership could prove challenging for Perplexity. However, Samsung isn’t entirely new to Perplexity; its venture arm, Samsung NEXT, invested in the startup last year, indicating a pre-existing relationship. Reports now suggest Samsung is considering a follow-on investment as part of Perplexity’s wider funding efforts.
Perplexity’s Broader Ambitions and Funding
These potential hardware partnerships are happening as Perplexity rapidly expands its services and apparently attracts investor attention. The company is reportedly seeking $500 million to $1 billion in new capital at a potential valuation approaching $18 billion, a steep climb supported by reported annual recurring revenue nearing $100 million as of March 2025. This financial context underscores the resources Perplexity might bring to bear. Since January, it has also launched its Sonar API for enterprise integration, a “Deep Research” feature for synthesizing web information, and an e-commerce feature allowing direct purchases within search results.
Commenting on the Deep Research launch via X, Perplexity AI CEO Aravind Srinivas stated: “Thankful for open source! We’re going to keep making this faster and cheaper. Knowledge should be universally accessible and useful. Not kept behind obscenely expensive subscription plans that benefit the corporates, not in the interests of humanity!”
This momentum paints a picture of a company aggressively building out its technology and reach, aiming to offer an alternative built on real-time information retrieval and source transparency – a core differentiator is its emphasis on providing citations alongside answers, potentially appealing to users seeking verifiable information.
