Perplexity AI today expanded its reach significantly, launching its conversational voice assistant on Apple’s iOS while simultaneously announcing a partnership to pre-install its software on new Motorola smartphones.
The iOS app update makes the voice assistant, which leverages web browsing and app integrations for task execution, available to iPhone and iPad users. This move follows the assistant’s Android debut in January 2025 suggesting a rapid development push. Perplexity stated on X the assistant “uses web browsing and multi-app actions to book reservations, send emails and calendar invites, play media, and more.”
Motorola Integration Meets Antitrust Realities
The partnership with Motorola will see Perplexity featured within the manufacturer’s “Moto AI” software suite on upcoming Razr models, complete with a tailored UI and a three-month Perplexity Pro trial. While a significant distribution win for the startup backed by investors like Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, testimony from Perplexity CBO Dmitry Shevelenko during Google’s antitrust trial remedies phase on April 24th revealed a key constraint: Google’s contracts prevent Perplexity from being the default assistant or getting initial home screen placement on Motorola devices.
Srinivas characterized the deal to CNBC as focused on user acquisition: “We’re not making money off their sales or anything like that. We’re looking for usage… it’s like a win-win for both of us.” He articulated a vision where the phone becomes “an answer machine, personal assistant and a research agent.” Motorola’s head of product marketing, Nicole Hagen, echoed this, stating, “Fifteen years ago, smartphones changed everything. Now, we are standing at the edge of a major shift, once again, in technology.”
This agreement follows Perplexity’s earlier deal with Deutsche Telekom for an AI-focused smartphone expected later in 2025.
iOS Assistant Arrives with Nuances
Running parallel to the Motorola news, the Perplexity voice assistant is now live for iOS users (requiring iOS 16.0 or later) in 15 languages. It can interface with system apps like Reminders after permission and initiate tasks in third-party apps like Uber or OpenTable, although users must complete the final steps within those apps. For newer devices like the iPhone 15 Pro, the assistant can be mapped to the physical Action button, and it remains active even when the Perplexity app is backgrounded.
However, key multimodal features present on Android – like using the camera to identify objects or analyzing screen content – are currently absent on iOS. Setting native iPhone alarms also isn’t supported, requiring Siri.
The assistant defaults to Apple Music and Apple Mail for relevant queries, with future integrations planned for Gmail and Google Calendar. Users might experience some initial rough edges; Srinivas acknowledged a minor activation delay the company plans to fix, and early hands-on reports noted occasional network connectivity glitches or issues accessing contacts.
Expanding Amid Competition and Scrutiny
These dual announcements underscore Perplexity’s push towards “agentic” AI capable of task execution, moving beyond its origins as an “answer engine.” This strategy is evident in other recent initiatives, including the introduction of in-search shopping capabilities via Firmly in March and the ongoing development of its own “Comet” web browser. This expansion is occurring while the company reportedly seeks further funding potentially targeting an $18 billion valuation.
The increased visibility through pre-installation comes just after an April 21st security audit by Appknox raised flags about Perplexity’s Android application. Their audit reported vulnerabilities like hardcoded secrets and missing SSL pinning (a measure against connection hijacking).
Appknox CEO Subho Halder commented on the findings, stating, “Our testing highlights critical vulnerabilities in Perplexity AI that expose users to a variety of risks… It’s crucial for the developers to address these issues swiftly.” While the audit focused on Android, its findings bring attention to application security as Perplexity deploys its assistant onto more user devices.
