Google opens Gemini and Search to outside apps in a developer preview

Google announced its Connected Apps Platform on October 28. It is a single place where developers register an app, test it and submit it for review so it can run inside Gemini, Google’s AI Search, or both.

Connected apps let you take an action without leaving the chat. TechCrunch’s examples include designing a flyer in Canva or building a playlist in YouTube Music. Google says more than 50 connected apps are live across Gemini and Search, including Adobe, Experian and Peloton, with Search versions of the Gemini ones due in the coming weeks. Calm is a new partner on both.

Developers connect through a cloud-hosted MCP server or Android’s AppFunctions, then watch traffic, latency and error rates after launch. The preview is waitlist-only and limited to US developers, with access opening in phases.

The catch: Google hasn’t said when the platform reaches everyone, and neither source I read covers pricing or how apps will be ranked.

What it means for small businesses

• If your service has a booking, ordering or design step, people may one day finish it inside a chat.
• Watch for the waitlist to open to your region before spending developer time.
• Ask your software vendor whether it plans a connected app.

Key terms

• MCP: a common way for an AI assistant to talk to an outside app.
• Connected app: an outside service you can use from inside Gemini or Search.