Google opened a Connected Apps preview for bringing apps into Gemini and Search

Archive entry: this covers an event from October 28, 2026, and we published it on November 8, 2026. The details come from sources dated at the time and may have changed since.

On October 28, 2026, Google opened a preview of the Connected Apps platform for developers who wanted to bring third-party apps into Gemini and Google Search. Integration went through MCP servers, and apps were managed from the Google Connected Console. The announcement is in a Google blog post on building and managing Connected Apps.

What changed

• Connected Apps was a platform preview for bringing third-party apps into Gemini and Google Search.
• Developers could integrate through a cloud MCP server, or through Android MCP with the AppFunctions APIs.
• The Google Connected Console was used to register, test and submit apps.
• Developers chose whether an app appeared in Search, Gemini or both, and received metrics for traffic, latency and errors.
• More than 50 Connected Apps existed at announcement: Adobe, Experian, Localiza and Peloton were live in Gemini, and Calm was coming.

What it meant for people building with AI

Developers got an MCP-based distribution channel into Gemini and Search. They could choose where an app appeared, and the console's metrics for traffic, latency and errors showed how it performed. Both a cloud MCP server and Android MCP with the AppFunctions APIs were supported entry points.

Availability

Connected Apps was a preview with phased access. Documentation was published at developers.google.com/connected-apps.

Sources

• Build and manage Connected Apps in one place (Google (The Keyword), October 28, 2026, official)

Written with AI assistance, strictly from the sources listed above. Before it went live, automated checks verified its dates, sources and every language edition.