Comet iOS Fake Alert: Perplexity CEO Warns iPhone Users

Perplexity AI’s CEO Aravind Srinivas has warned iPhone users that an app currently listed on Apple’s App Store claiming to be Comet is “fake and spam”, urging users to wait for Perplexity’s official announcement before downloading. The alert follows growing public interest in Comet after Perplexity expanded access to the AI browser and teased an iOS release. 

Srinivas alerts users to Comet app scam

In a direct message to users on X, Srinivas wrote: “The Comet app currently on the iOS App Store is fake and spam and not from Perplexity. You will directly hear from us when Comet iOS is ready for pre-registering and downloading.” The CEO’s post aims to head off confusion and protect users from potentially malicious or data-harvesting impostor apps. 

Comet has moved quickly from a limited beta to a broader public presence — including a free tier and paid add-ons — increasing brand visibility and, with it, the chance of copycats. That commercial momentum has raised the stakes: a fraudulent listing can expose users to security risks, reputational damage for Perplexity, and complications for Apple’s App Store curation. Perplexity has positioned Comet as an AI-first browsing experience, which makes trust and provenance especially important. 

The warning comes amid another controversy: a viral post showed someone using Comet to rapidly complete an online course, prompting Srinivas to admonish such misuse with the remark, “Absolutely don’t do this.” The episode has amplified conversations about responsibility, academic integrity, and how AI features can be gamed when checks and norms lag behind technology adoption. That context helps explain the company’s cautionary tone on fake apps — the risks are not only technical but ethical.

What users should do:

1. Do not download any app claiming to be Comet from unverified listings.

2. Follow Perplexity’s official channels (company announcements, verified X handles) for iOS preregistration notices.

3. If you’ve installed a suspicious app, remove it, check app permissions, and monitor accounts for unusual activity.
   Perplexity has said it will notify users directly when a legitimate iOS build is ready.

For Perplexity, the fake-app incident is an operational risk that accompanies rapid product expansion. For Apple and developers, it’s a reminder of the importance of App Store governance and clearer signals for users when flagship products are rolling out across platforms. As Comet competes with entrenched browsers and pushes AI features into everyday browsing, control over distribution and messaging becomes a strategic priority.

The immediate advice is simple: trust Perplexity’s official channels and avoid third-party Comet listings until the company confirms iOS availability. The episode is also a broader case study in how companies must couple feature rollouts with clear user education and governance to prevent scams and misuse as AI tools scale.