The battle for control of the iPhone is no longer just about the processor or the camera, but about which browser we use to navigate the web and how we manage our daily informationIn this context, Comet, Perplexity's AI-powered browser, arrives, making the definitive leap to iOS after its run on desktop and Android.
With this launch, the company behind one of the most popular conversational search engines wants to AI should stop being a separate tab and become the center of mobile navigation.Comet presents itself as a complete browser for iPhone, but with an integrated assistant capable of understanding complex questions, summarizing long texts, automating tasks, and accompanying the user every step of the way on the internet.
An AI-powered browser that goes beyond the address bar
Comet does not simply display a list of links when we type a query: It uses advanced language models to interpret the search intent and return pre-processed answers, with cited sources.This includes everything from explanations of technical concepts to detailed comparisons between products or services, all without leaving the same tab.
In contrast to the classic approach of Safari or Chrome, Perplexity's browser attempts to make the address bar function as a true digital assistant capable of reading the page you are on, understanding it and working on itYou can ask them to summarize a long article, extract the key points from a PDF document, or explain in simpler terms what appears on a very technical website.
One of Comet's defining characteristics is its system of hybrid searchFor quick and very specific queries (for example, a store's opening hours or a game's score), the app uses standard results from traditional search engines. But when the question requires context, several steps, or more in-depth analysis, the AI ​​assistant kicks in, browsing various sources and providing a more detailed answer.
In this area, the function of Deep Research or in-depth researchThis tool examines dozens of pages on a single topic, selects the relevant excerpts, and generates a structured report with citations. It's designed for users who spend a lot of time researching on their mobile devices, whether for studying, preparing a report, or simply gathering in-depth information.
In addition, the built-in assistant can take into account what you have open in multiple tabs at the same timeYou can ask it, for example, what commonalities exist between different articles you are reading or what conclusions can be drawn from them all together, without having to copy and paste content.
iOS experience: voice, guided reading, and syncing
The iPhone version of Comet plays most of the features that were already available on desktopbut adapted for touch use and the iOS ecosystem. At first glance, the browser behaves like any other: it allows you to open tabs, enter web addresses, manage bookmarks, and perform traditional searches.
The difference comes when the assistant is activated. One of the most striking features on the phone is the integrated voice modeThe user can ask spoken questions about what they're seeing on the screen or about multiple open tabs simultaneously, without needing to type. This is especially useful when you're out and about, your hands are full, or you simply prefer dictating to typing.
Along with the voice, Comet introduces a assisted reading experienceWith a simple gesture on any long text, AI generates a summary of the key points so you can decide if it's worth reading the entire article. This feature helps filter out content that might not be relevant to your search and reduces time wasted on unhelpful pages.
The browser also includes practical tools such as comparing product prices between different online stores or automating small tasksAmong the latter are tasks such as quickly finding information about meeting participants on LinkedIn, fill out registration forms or compose emails and send them from the browser itself.
All of this relies on a Perplexity user account that Sync history, conversation threads, and investigations across devicesIf you start a search on your computer, you can resume it later on your iPhone without losing context, and vice versa. This continuity is a major advantage for those who constantly switch between mobile and desktop.
In its day-to-day operations, Comet sees itself as A direct alternative to Safari and Chrome on the iPhone, but with AI integrated into every step of the experienceThe idea is for the user to stop seeing the assistant as something occasional and to use it continuously while browsing, looking up information, or completing tasks.
Interface, privacy, and relationship with the Apple ecosystem
The browser's aesthetic follows a fairly minimalist style, very much in line with iOS.With a design that aims to reduce visual noise and avoid superfluous elements, the intention is for the page content and assistant responses to take center stage, without any distracting layers.
In terms of privacy, Perplexity's proposal touches on sensitive ground, especially in Europe, where The GDPR sets strict requirements on the processing of personal dataAlthough the browser aims to block some intrusive advertising and certain trackers, it also bases part of its business model on using browsing history and searches to build advertising profiles.
This means that The company collects information about the websites visited and the type of queries made. to segment the advertising displayed within the browser itself. The promise is that the ads will adapt to each user's behavior, so two people with different usage patterns will see different campaigns.
However, this strategy may clash with the expectations of those seeking a stricter tool in terms of confidentiality or methods of Protect your digital privacyEven users who subscribe to paid plans are subject to a certain level of data processing, something that could generate debate in the European market and force Perplexity to refine its control and transparency options.
On a functional level, Comet seeks to integrate as much as possible into the Apple ecosystem. It supports voice shortcuts and widgets that bring AI searches to your home screenand takes advantage of system options to set itself as the default browser. Once this is done, links opened from apps like WhatsApp, Mail, or social media can be automatically processed by the Perplexity assistant.
How to install and start using Comet on an iPhone
To try Comet on an Apple device, the process is simple: Simply download the official app from the App Store on an iPhone with iOS 17 or laterAfter installation, you can log in with an existing Perplexity account or create a new one in just a few steps.
If the user wants Comet to become their regular gateway to the internet, they can Configure it as the default browser from the iPhone settings.From that moment on, any link opened from other applications will be managed through this app, so that AI will be available to interpret the page, generate summaries or answer questions about the content.
Within the app, the user can choose the AI ​​model that will power your answersWith options ranging from Perplexity's own engines to third-party models like those from OpenAI, Anthropic, or Google, depending on the subscription level, this flexibility aims to cater to both those who simply want quick answers and those who need more advanced reasoning capabilities.
Comet also incorporates a Built-in ad and tracker blocker To offer a cleaner and faster browsing experience on mobile. According to the company, this optimization allows the truly useful content of pages to load faster, reducing waiting time and data consumption when browsing on the mobile network.
Perplexity itself presents the browser as a productivity and research tool rather than a simple replacement for SafariThe emphasis is on enabling users to shop, plan trips, organize work, or prepare meetings without having to jump between multiple different apps.
Payment plans, advanced features, and business model
Comet for iOS is free to downloadAnd any user can start using the browser without paying a subscription. However, the free version has limits on the number of queries to the AI ​​and on the power of the models that can be used.
For those who need more capacity, Perplexity offers Payment plans like Pro and Max, with prices around 20 euros per month Prices drop to approximately €16,67 per month with annual billing. These subscription levels provide access to more advanced artificial intelligence models, a higher volume of requests, and expanded reasoning capabilities.
Subscribers can also benefit from a more robust experience when tackling complex investigations or prolonged tasks from a mobile devicebecause the system is less limited by daily quotas and can work with broader contexts.
Alongside the subscriptions, the company maintains a clear focus on advertising personalizationBased on browsing and usage history, profiles are built that allow ads to be shown that are more tailored to each user's interests, both in the free version and in the paid levels.
This hybrid model—between freemium service and monetization through targeted advertising—places Comet in an intermediate position between Traditional browsers that live almost exclusively off advertising and purely subscription-based AI toolsThe reaction of European users to this combination will be key to measuring the product's trajectory in the region.
A new competitor to Safari, Chrome, and AI chats on the iPhone
With its arrival on the iPhone, Comet is positioned halfway between the major classic browsers and AI-powered chat services like ChatGPT or GeminiOn one hand, it competes with Safari and Chrome by offering tabs, bookmarks, and standard browsing. On the other, it integrates a persistent assistant that aims to save users from having to open a separate app every time they want to interact with an artificial intelligence.
Perplexity's ambition in the field of sailing is not new. In recent months, news has emerged These movements and approaches point to a clear objective: to gain influence against the major players in the sector.Beyond hypothetical operations, the path ultimately chosen has been to build their own browser around AI, both on desktop and mobile.
In the current context, marked by an explosion of productivity tools, advanced research services, and increasingly sophisticated reasoning modelsComet's proposal seeks to differentiate itself through the way it organizes and synthesizes information. The idea is for the user to spend less time filtering results and more time making decisions with readily digestible data.
It remains to be seen to what extent this AI-centric experience will be enough to to convince users accustomed to Safari because of its integration with iOS or to Chrome because of its cross-platform ecosystemThe response of those who already use AI chats as standalone tools and have to decide whether to integrate that functionality directly into their main browser will also be relevant.
In any case, the arrival of Comet to the iPhone reinforces the idea that the next big battle in the mobile world will be between browsers with integrated artificial intelligence.For Spanish and European users who spend hours researching, working, or studying on their mobile phones, the combination of hybrid search, voice mode, in-depth research, and cross-device synchronization makes Comet a viable option, always keeping in mind how it manages and protects the data that underpins all of that functionality.
