Google has launched the Connected Apps Platform, a preview program that lets outside developers build apps that work inside Gemini and Google Search. Until now, getting a connected app into Google’s AI products meant working closely with Google’s own team. The new platform replaces that with a self-service path.
Google says a user links an app once, then can pull in account details and take actions without leaving the conversation. The preview is open to developers in the United States who sign up.
What the Connected Apps Platform Does
Connected apps let you @-mention a service inside Gemini and ask it to do something. Examples include designing a flyer with Canva or building a playlist in YouTube Music. Gemini already supports more than 50 of these, from partners such as Adobe, Dropbox, Instacart, OpenTable and Ticketmaster.
The new platform gives every developer a standard way to build one of these. Google describes the pitch as “build once and reach high-intent users.” In plain terms, you build a single integration and it can show up across several Google products.
How Developers Connect an App to Gemini
Google offers two integration paths. Both rely on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open standard that lets AI tools call outside services.
- A cloud-hosted MCP server, secured with OAuth 2.1 so Gemini acts on a user’s behalf only with permission.
- Android MCP, built with the Jetpack AppFunctions SDK, which lets an Android app run its actions locally on the phone.
After building, developers register, test and submit their app in a new tool called Google Connected Console. It also shows traffic, latency and error rates, and lets companies manage their brand identity, such as verified logos and authenticated accounts.
Gemini and Search Get More Connected Apps
Developers choose whether their app goes live in the Gemini app, in Search, or in both. Existing connected apps are heading to Search over the next few weeks. Search currently has fewer of them, including Instacart, Canva and YouTube Music.
Calm, the meditation app, is a new partner and will arrive on both Gemini and Search soon. Google has not said when the platform will open beyond the U.S. preview.
| Detail | What Google has said |
|---|---|
| Status | Public preview, U.S. developers, waitlist |
| Where apps appear | Gemini app, Search, or both |
| Build options | Cloud MCP server or Android AppFunctions |
| Management tool | Google Connected Console |
| Existing apps | 50+ in Gemini, coming to Search |
Why This Matters for the Agentic Web
The bigger idea is that people may stop opening individual apps and instead ask an AI assistant to use them. OpenAI and Meta are pushing similar app integrations in their own assistants, so the real contest is over which assistant has the widest range of apps.
For businesses, being listed could become a bit like search engine optimization. If Gemini or Search can book, order or play something through your service, you get in front of people who are ready to act. That is why Google is stressing performance data and brand controls.
The same trend is showing up elsewhere. Apple recently added MCP support to Creator Studio, and Google’s latest model push, covered in our Gemini 4 Argon report, leans heavily on agents.
What This Means for You
If you only use Gemini, you will likely see more services you can call up by name, and a few more showing up in Search answers over the coming weeks. If you build or run an app, this is worth a look now.
- Check whether your service already has an MCP server or an Android app that could expose actions.
- Join the preview waitlist early, since Google says access opens in phases.
- Plan for sign-in with OAuth 2.1, because users must approve each connection.
- Read the permissions screen before linking an app, as it can see your live account data.
If you already work with MCP in Claude Code, the building blocks will feel familiar. You can also compare how ChatGPT handles its own app connections, and keep up with more stories in our AI news section.
Sources
Primary source: Google’s Connected Apps Platform developer page. Additional reporting from TechCrunch and 9to5Google.
Conclusion
Google is turning Gemini and Search into places where outside apps can live, and it is doing it with an open standard instead of one-off deals. The preview is small for now, but it signals that AI assistants are becoming the front door to many services, and developers who move early may gain the most.
