Perplexity's Comet AI browser is the latest rival to Google Search's monopoly

Perplexity AI introduced a mobile edition of its Comet web browser, expanding its challenge to Google on the search company’s Android platform.

The browser is now available for Android devices. An iOS version is expected soon, according to Perplexity spokesperson Beejoli Shah. She said mobile carriers and device makers have asked to add Comet to their products and services.

Comet first appeared in limited form in July and later reached broader release in October for Mac and Windows users. The browser includes an assistant powered by Perplexity’s search engine. It summarizes information from webpages open across multiple tabs and answers questions related to those sites. It can also carry out online tasks for users through typed or spoken instructions. Perplexity did not disclose the number of active users.

The company has been working to expand its assistant technology across more platforms as it seeks to compete directly with Alphabet Inc.’s Google in search. Other developers are taking similar steps. OpenAI recently introduced its Atlas product, which also embeds AI functions in the browser experience. Search and AI companies are targeting mobile usage in particular, as nearly 70% of global internet traffic comes from mobile devices, based on data from Similarweb.

Comet’s Android version has been adjusted for smaller screens, though core features remain unchanged. Images released by Perplexity show the assistant summarizing customer reviews for a refrigerator on Best Buy’s site and checking delivery availability for New York. The mobile browser also includes a built-in ad blocker, matching the desktop edition.

Competition in the browser market extends beyond Google. Microsoft has added its Copilot assistant to the Edge browser on both desktop and mobile over the past year. Executives at OpenAI said last week that the company is studying options for a mobile version of its Atlas browser, signaling further moves by AI developers into mobile search and browsing tools.