Google Lets Outside Apps Work Inside Its Search and Gemini Assistant

Google is opening a new way for outside apps to work inside Google Search and its Gemini assistant app. It is called the Connected Apps Platform. A business can build an app once and have it run in both places. A customer could then do things like order groceries or create a playlist without leaving Google.

What it does

Google says the goal is to connect people with tasks they are ready to act on, right inside Search and Gemini. For a business, that could mean reaching customers who are already looking for what it sells.

• One build runs in both Google Search and the Gemini app.
• Verified logos and signed-in accounts help customers see the app is real.
• Businesses can watch traffic, speed and error rates in real time.

Developers connect through a cloud-hosted server called an MCP server, or an Android version of it, using Google's AppFunctions tools. They then register, test and submit the app in the Google Connected Console.

What is not known yet

The rollout is phased, so only some developers and products get in at first. The material does not say what it costs, when more businesses can join, or who is in the first group.

There are also trade-offs. More apps in the same place means more competition for attention. Getting an app to work well here may take time, training or hired help.