Google opens Gemini and Search to third-party apps with Connected Apps Platform
Google has launched a Connected Apps Platform that lets any business or developer submit an app for use inside Gemini and Google Search. The public preview is in beta for US developers who join a waitlist, and Google has not said when it will widen availability.
Developers connect through a cloud-hosted MCP server or Android MCP using AppFunctions APIs, then register, test and submit the app in the Google Connected Console. They choose whether it appears in Search, the Gemini app or both, and can track traffic, latency and error rates once live. Brand identity stays under the developer's control, including verified logos and authenticated accounts.
More than 50 connected apps already run in Gemini, from partners including Adobe, Experian, Localiza and Peloton alongside Google's own services. Search has fewer so far, among them Instacart, Canva, YouTube Music and Yahoo Fantasy Football, with those integrations rolling out over the coming weeks. Calm is a new partner and will launch on both surfaces.
The move matters for brands because being reachable inside an assistant is a distribution question, not just a ranking one. Google is pitching the platform as a way for services to stay visible as consumers shift from opening individual apps to asking an AI assistant to act, which puts a company's presence in Gemini and Search answers closer to the product itself.
Reported by TechCrunch AI ↗
Topics: Gemini, Google Search