Google Launches Connected Apps Platform to Integrate Third-Party Services into Gemini and Search

On October 28, 2026, Google announced the preview of a Connected Apps Platform that lets developers embed their applications directly into the Gemini AI chat experience and Google Search.

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Connected Apps were first introduced in Gemini and Search earlier in 2026, enabling users to link services such as Adobe, Dropbox, Instacart, and OpenTable. Google has positioned these integrations as part of a broader shift toward an “agentic web,” where AI agents act as intermediaries for completing tasks rather than merely returning links. Executive remarks from Sundar Pichai in prior years have framed Search as evolving into an “agent manager,” a vision that this platform seeks to realize.

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Developers must host a cloud-hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server or an Android MCP and use the AppFunctions APIs to expose functionality. The new Google Connected Console serves as a registration, testing, and submission hub where developers can monitor traffic, latency, and error rates, as well as manage brand assets such as verified logos and authenticated accounts. After approval, developers choose whether the app appears in Search, the Gemini app, or both.

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• More than 50 Connected Apps are already live in Gemini, spanning productivity, ticketing, health, and fitness.

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• Current partners include Adobe, Experian, Localiza, Peloton, Canva, YouTube Music, Instacart, Yahoo Fantasy Football, and the meditation service Calm (the latter slated for launch on both Gemini and Search in the coming weeks).

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The company emphasized that the preview is open to U.S. developers who join a waitlist, and that broader availability will be rolled out in phases over the next several months. Google also noted that the Connected Console will give developers control over brand identity and performance metrics once apps go live.

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By allowing third-party services to operate inside Gemini and Search, Google aims to shift user behavior from opening separate apps to completing tasks through a single AI interface. Analysts compare this to the early impact of search-engine optimization, suggesting that early adopters could gain visibility on what Google calls the “agentic web.” The move also expands Google’s ecosystem beyond first-party offerings such as Workspace, Photos, and YouTube.

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Google has not disclosed a specific timeline for when the platform will be available beyond the U.S. public preview.

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Developers interested in the Connected Apps Platform can sign up for the waitlist on the Google Connected Console. The preview is currently limited to U.S. participants, with phased expansion planned for the coming months. Google indicated that additional Connected Apps will be added to Search in the weeks following the announcement, but exact dates remain unspecified.

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