Google Connected Apps Platform checklist for developers

Google on October 28, 2026 announced the Connected Apps Platform, a single route for outside developers to build apps that work inside Gemini and Google Search. It starts as a preview with a waitlist, and according to TechCrunch and Android Authority, it’s limited to US developers.

If you run an app team, this is the first time the door is open without a side deal.

What is the Google Connected Apps Platform?

It’s Google’s single path for developers to bring apps into Gemini and Search. Users link a third-party service, then use it to take actions or pull information without leaving the conversation or the search results. Connected apps first appeared in both products earlier in 2026.

The change is access. 9to5Google notes that building a connected app has so far required working closely with Google. The new platform is meant to replace that with a standard process.

What do you need to build a connected app?

You need one of two things: a cloud-hosted Model Context Protocol (MCP) server, or an Android MCP that uses the AppFunctions APIs. Both 9to5Google and TechCrunch describe it that way. Which one fits depends on where your product’s logic already lives.

• Cloud-hosted MCP server: the likelier fit if your service runs on the web and exposes its functions through a back end you control.
• Android MCP with AppFunctions: the likelier fit if your value sits inside a native Android app.

That’s my reading of the two paths, not Google’s guidance. Google hasn’t spelled out in the coverage when to pick one over the other, or whether you can ship both.

For the Android route, you’ll want a real device to test on. A Google Pixel phone is the obvious choice for an Android team, though which devices the AppFunctions path supports hasn’t been reported, so check Google’s documentation before you buy anything.

Registering, testing and submitting in the Google Connected Console

Developers register, test and submit their apps through a new website called the Google Connected Console. It’s also where you manage the app after launch, so it’s worth treating as your control panel, not just a submission form.

According to 9to5Google and TechCrunch, the console lets you:

• Track traffic, latency and error rates once the app is live.
• Control brand identity, including verified logos and authenticated accounts.
• Choose whether the app goes live in Search, in the Gemini app, or in both.

That last choice matters. Search has fewer connected apps than Gemini today, so a team might reasonably start in one place. Latency and error rates are on the dashboard for a reason: an assistant that waits on a slow back end makes your brand look slow too.

How do you join the preview?

Sign up for the waitlist at developers.google.com/connected-apps. Google says it will open access in phases over the coming months and add more developers and regions. It hasn’t given a date for broader availability.

The coverage disagrees a little on how to describe the program. TechCrunch calls it a beta and public preview for US developers. Android Authority describes a limited developer preview, US-based only, with a public beta waitlist. 9to5Google doesn’t mention a US restriction at all. Assume US-only and treat a waitlist spot as not guaranteed.

If you’re outside the US, there’s nothing to act on beyond watching for the regional expansion Google says is coming.

Who’s already in?

Gemini’s existing connected apps include Adobe, Dropbox, Instacart, OpenTable, Ticketmaster, Experian, Localiza and Peloton. Google’s own services, such as Workspace, Photos and YouTube, also work as @-integrations in Gemini. The count of outside apps is reported as over 50.

That number comes with a wrinkle. 9to5Google and TechCrunch put the 50-plus figure on Gemini alone, while Android Authority says it covers Gemini and Search combined, spanning health, productivity, commerce and event ticketing. Don’t quote it without saying which.

In Search, the current list is shorter: Instacart, Canva, YouTube Music and Yahoo Fantasy Football, with Android Authority adding Sleeper Fantasy Football. Google says existing Gemini apps are heading to Search, with Adobe, Experian, Localiza and Peloton named as examples. Timing is reported as “soon” by 9to5Google, over the next few weeks by TechCrunch, and soon with a list that grows over weeks and months by Android Authority.

The newest named partner is the meditation app Calm. Even there the outlets split: 9to5Google says a Gemini integration is coming in the coming weeks, TechCrunch expects it on both Gemini and Search shortly, and Android Authority gives no timeline.

Why this matters if you ship an app

This is a new place users may meet your product without opening it. TechCrunch frames it as the start of an agent-driven web and compares it to SEO, arguing the platform only works if enough apps are there. That’s the outlet’s commentary, not Google’s claim, but it’s a fair prompt for product teams: decide now whether you want to be an early, visible name.

ChatGPT and Meta’s Muse have offered their own versions of app integrations, per TechCrunch. If you already have an integration plan for one of those, much of the thinking about which actions to expose carries over. We covered how OpenAI’s lineup is shaping up in our breakdown of OpenAI’s model tiers, which is useful background on that side of the race.

Practical steps I’d take this week:

• Inventory which two or three actions in your product make sense to run from a chat or search box, such as a booking, a lookup or a reorder.
• Check whether those functions are already exposed through an API you could wrap in an MCP server.
• Pick an owner for the waitlist signup, and ask legal and security who needs to review linked-account behavior.
• Decide whether Search, Gemini or both is the first target.

Gemini is already spreading into other Google surfaces; our guide to Gemini Personal Intelligence in Android Auto shows how far it reaches on the Android side. And the Gemini app’s recent redesign added a Customize page, according to 9to5Google, which is a hint at where users may manage these links.

What Google hasn’t said

The list of gaps is long, and several of them decide whether this is worth your engineering time.

Review criteria. Developers submit apps, but what Google checks before approval hasn’t been reported.

Money. Fees, revenue sharing and ranking rules for apps in Search or Gemini aren’t covered.

Discovery. It’s not clear how users will find and choose connected apps in Search, or how apps will be ordered.

Privacy. What protections apply when users link accounts hasn’t been detailed.

Dates. Google said access will widen over the coming months, but not when the platform leaves preview or reaches outside the US.

There’s also the standards question: how MCP and AppFunctions compare with how other AI platforms handle integrations is still open. Until that’s clearer, keep your MCP work modular. A server built for Google could be reusable elsewhere, but that’s an assumption, not a promise from anyone.

For teams that document internally in Markdown, our note on Google Docs Markdown support is a small side benefit for writing up the integration plan.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to build an app for Gemini and Search?

Either a cloud-hosted MCP server or an Android MCP using the AppFunctions APIs. You then register, test and submit the app through the Google Connected Console.

Is the Connected Apps Platform available outside the US?

Not yet. TechCrunch and Android Authority describe the preview as US-only. Google says it will add more developers and regions, but hasn't given dates.

Can I choose where my app appears?

Yes. Developers choose whether the app goes live in Search, the Gemini app, or both.

Where do I sign up?

Join the preview waitlist at developers.google.com/connected-apps. Google is opening access in phases over the coming months.

Sources

This article was compiled from reporting by the following outlets. Links go to the original reports.

1. 9to5Google: Google adding more Connected Apps to Gemini & Search with new dev platform
2. TechCrunch: As AI agents reshape the web, Google opens Gemini and Search to more apps
3. Android Authority: Google opens the floodgates for more connected apps in Gemini and Search
4. 9to5Google: Google adding more Connected Apps to Gemini & Search with new dev platform