The AI browser wars have arrived in your pocket. Perplexity has released its Comet browser as a free, standalone app for iPhones, completing a dramatic shift from its origins as a $200-per-month desktop tool last summer. A free Android version launched recently, making the once-exclusive software widely accessible.

Comet represents the current wave of browsing tools: it merges a standard web interface with an integrated chatbot capable of summarizing pages or digging up related information on command. Perplexity markets it as a "personal assistant and thinking partner" designed to accelerate research. The company suggests uses like online shopping and schedule management, though the technology's documented vulnerability to online scams suggests users should proceed with care on such tasks.

On iPhone, the app showcases Apple's Liquid Glass display technology with a visually striking design, particularly its prominent address bar. However, a preview by MacStories notes the iOS version operates within Apple's ecosystem constraints, meaning no third-party extensions are supported, though it can be set as a default browser.

This expansion comes with a notable privacy consideration. Perplexity has previously stated it uses its browsers, in part, to gather user data for advertising purposes—a likely factor in the move from a premium to a free model. Comet is now available for iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac. An iPad-specific version remains absent, but the existing Perplexity app works on tablets, hinting a dedicated browser may follow.

Source: Engadget