Perplexity launches voice-based AI assistant on iPhones, CEO Aravind Srinivas pays ‘homage’ to Steve Jobs

Perplexity AI

Perplexity AI has officially launched a major update to its iOS app, marking the first time an AI-powered assistant can not only respond to questions but also take real-world actions on your iPhone. Dubbed Perplexity Assistant, the new feature can play media, draft emails, move calendar events, book rides, make reservations, and set reminders, all through voice commands.

Announced by CEO Aravind Srinivas in a series of posts on X, the update brings Perplexity closer to the vision of a full-service, on-device agent. Unlike Siri or ChatGPT Voice, this assistant isn’t just conversational — it’s actionable.

Users can now say things like, “Play me that podcast where Marc Andreessen talks about browsers with Lex Fridman” or request specific clips like “the video of Katy Perry kissing the ground after landing from the rocket.”

Srinivas said that Apple Music is currently the default for audio playback, and Apple Mail is used for email, though Gmail and Google Calendar support are on the way.

The assistant activates via voice, with a slight delay of three to four seconds. Users can also map the iPhone’s Action button to launch Perplexity’s Voice Mode for faster access—essentially transforming the button into an AI gateway.

There are limitations: it can’t adjust iOS system settings like brightness, volume, or flashlight due to Apple’s SDK restrictions. Native alarms are also off-limits, though an in-app workaround is possible.

Srinivasan even floated a tongue-in-cheek suggestion for a trigger phrase: “Hey Steve,” in tribute to Steve Jobs.

While not yet a full Siri replacement, Perplexity Assistant may be the closest thing yet—ushering in a new category of agentic mobile AI — something that ChatGPT hasn’t been able to do effectively on the iPhone yet.