While Apple’s AI dreams are still in beta mode, Perplexity has gone ahead and done the unthinkable: it’s launched a voice assistant on iPhones before Apple could roll out its revamped Siri. Yep — a third-party AI app just did what the trillion-dollar giant hasn’t managed yet.
Perplexity, the AI-powered search engine backed by Nvidia and Jeff Bezos, just updated its iOS app to include voice assistant support. You can now talk to it like you would with ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini — only now, it’s on your iPhone, ready to write emails, set reminders, plan dinner reservations, and more.
Just tap the mic icon in the app’s search bar, give it microphone access, and you’re good to go. You can even switch apps mid-conversation — Perplexity will keep listening and responding. No need for the latest iPhone or iOS version either. This works just fine on older devices, like the iPhone 13 mini.
Meanwhile, Apple’s own “Apple Intelligence”-powered Siri is still in the works — with a lot of its new features rumoured to be delayed until 2026.
Let’s be honest — Perplexity’s assistant is what Siri was always supposed to be. It can book tables, get directions, play music, send emails, check your calendar, and help you figure out just about anything — all without forcing you to repeat the same command five different ways.
Apple’s upcoming AI overhaul may eventually bring Siri up to speed, but right now? A third-party app just made Apple’s in-house voice assistant look like a feature phone relic.
This update comes just weeks after Perplexity rolled out its Deep Research feature powered by DeepSeek R1. Combined with this new voice assistant, it’s clear the San Francisco startup isn’t just competing in the AI race — it’s gunning for the podium.
Perplexity also joins a growing list of companies pushing for hands-free AI. Google’s Gemini Live is coming soon, OpenAI is prepping its upgraded ChatGPT voice mode, and other startups like Sesame are racing to build the next-gen assistant.
Perplexity just dunked on Apple — on Apple’s own turf. And the best part? You don’t need a shiny new iPhone to try it out, it works perfectly fine on devices as old as the iPhone 13. Apple Intelligence might be coming… but Perplexity’s already here, talking, and actually getting things done.
