Perplexity breaks Google’s monopoly. What seemed impossible until recently has become a reality with the partnership signed between the start-up led by Aravind Srinivas and Motorola. The Perplexity app will be pre-installed on the Razr 60 Ultra and Razr 60, as well as on the Edge 60 Pro from the Lenovo-owned brand, for the first time.
This is significant because it is the first Android-linked smartphone brand to sign an agreement with an AI company. The arrival of a GenAI-based search engine is a thorn in the side of Big G, which, thanks to contractual agreements, is accustomed to dominating search with its search engine and Gemini app.
How smartphone search is changing
Regardless of how much Perplexity will be used, which most people who buy a phone may not even know about yet, the move marks a significant shift, as the AI search engine will be installed on millions of smartphones. Behind the partnership with Motorola is Perplexity’s long work to optimise the software and enable the personalisation of user searches.
One of the new features concerns the functionality of the new Razr’s external display when closed, with Perplexity Assistant allowing users to retrieve information, send emails, set reminders in a smart way, play multimedia content, and also request Uber rides and book a table at a restaurant. The search engine app is activated using Moto AI’s Next Move feature, while searches can be started by simply saying ‘Ask Perplexity‘. As this is still in its early stages, the alliance will allow new features and services to be added over time.
It has not been easy for Perplexity to break into Google’s domain, which is why the $9 billion-valued start-up is experiencing a mixture of enthusiasm and frustration. On the one hand, there is the thrill of the first time, which will allow users to transform their experience with the device. ‘Your phone is now a personal assistant, answer machine and research analyst all in one, available to you on demand, 24/7,’ reads Perplexity’s announcement.
Anyone who purchases a new Motorola phone, including the Razr and Edge 60, will also have a chance to try Perplexity Pro, the most advanced version of the system, for free for three months. This means you can count on comprehensive research and analysis on complex topics, the ability to choose advanced AI models such as Claude 3.5 Sonnet, GPT-4o and Sonar, as well as Pro Shopping functionality and unlimited uploading of files and Pro/Reasoning searches.
The power and risks of Google
On the other hand, there is a collaboration that could have been stronger, as the two companies would have liked, but which has been blocked by Google. The Mountain View company prevented Motorola from replacing Gemini with Perplexity as the default AI assistant on new smartphones. In Big G’s favour, there are a series of restrictive agreements with all Android manufacturers which favour Google tools and services. In the event of coercion, the risk for Motorola would have been the loss of significant revenue, a scenario that no manufacturer can afford. However, Google must also tread carefully, following last year’s ruling against its search monopoly and the new lawsuit that has asked the company to sell Chrome.
Aware of these efforts, Perplexity is continuing its expansion and negotiating agreements with other smartphone manufacturers. The latest rumours point to Samsung, but there have also been developments on the iOS front. The GenAI-based voice assistant is now able to interact with some services and replace Siri.
This feature is available globally, although currently limited to reminders, calendars, route planning on Maps, and music, video and podcast playback. It’s only the beginning, but considering that it didn’t even exist three years ago, Perplexity seems destined to play a leading role in the expansion of GenAI on mobile devices of the present and future.
