Samsung’s Galaxy S26 might mark the beginning of a breakup with Google

What’s Perplexity AI?

For these unfamiliar, Perplexity is a quickly rising AI-powered search and assistant platform that’s presently competing with extra established names like Google Search and Microsoft Copilot. There’s already an app obtainable on each Android and iOS.

Perplexity’s assistant presents extra than simply easy Q&A, although. It additionally performs advanced analysis queries, solutions follow-up questions, and reveals its sources inline — a sort of transparency that helps it stand out among the many competitors.

So what would possibly Samsung be planning?

If the deal goes via, Samsung might ship Perplexity’s app and assistant preloaded on Galaxy telephones, whereas integrating its search engine immediately into Samsung Web and embedding a few of its expertise straight into Bixby.

In keeping with the report from Bloomberg, Samsung needs to make Perplexity the “default assistant possibility” on the Galaxy S26 collection, though it’s not clear whether or not this is able to utterly substitute or just complement Bixby and the Google Assistant.

These with reminiscence will keep in mind that this is not the primary time Samsung has flirted with Google’s rivals. In 2023, stories surfaced that Samsung thought-about switching the default search engine on its gadgets from Google to Bing, which reportedly despatched Google into “panic mode.”

Now, with Perplexity within the combine, Samsung appears to be persevering with its technique of exploring non-Google alternate options within the AI house. Does this imply that its partnership with Google shouldn’t be that nice and there is drama behind the curtains? Not essentially, however it does imply Samsung is open to alter.

Studying from Motorola’s AI method

Apparently, Samsung isn’t the primary smartphone model to embrace Perplexity out of the field. That title belongs to Motorola, which not too long ago shipped the 2025 Razr collection with no fewer than 4 AI assistants preinstalled: Google Gemini, Microsoft Copilot, Motorola’s personal Moto AI, and Perplexity.

Whereas the thought was to present customers alternative, Motorola might have gone overboard. With so many AI brokers competing for consideration — every with their very own specialties and quirks — it will probably shortly turn out to be complicated which one to make use of and when.

Motorola’s repair to this difficulty is much more AI, via a function referred to as “Subsequent Transfer,” designed to assist customers navigate the crowded assistant ecosystem.

Samsung, in distinction, to date has taken a extra curated method to software program experiences, and it’s more likely to keep away from the identical overload. But when Perplexity does turn out to be a core a part of One UI, the corporate might want to clearly talk what makes it totally different — and why customers ought to care.

Extra AI competitors on the best way

All of that is taking place in opposition to a backdrop of intense competitors within the AI house.

Google, as an illustration, has reportedly been engaged on a wave of recent generative options, together with smarter Search outcomes, AI-generated photographs, and interactive instruments for studying and coding. Supposedly, these efforts have been partially spurred by the very menace of Samsung exploring partnerships with rivals.

Wish to know what’s arising on Android? Try all of the thrilling Android developments Google introduced in the course of the I/O 2025 developer’s convention.

As for Samsung, whether or not it finally strikes ahead with Perplexity — and the way deeply it integrates the expertise — might mark a turning level in how AI works on Galaxy gadgets. We anticipate to listen to a proper announcement later this 12 months, on condition that this partnership finally ends up forming.