Google announced a preview of its Connected Apps Platform on October 28, 2026, giving businesses that own apps a new route to offer their services inside Search and Gemini. Customers would be able to start supported tasks through a conversation with Google’s AI.
Developers can use Google Connected Console to register, test and submit integrations. But access is opening in phases: Google says it will add more developers, markets and products over the coming months. Applying for the preview does not mean an app is ready for public use.
Connected Apps themselves are not new. Google announced Search integrations with Instacart, Canva and YouTube Music in July. The new development is a shared way for more app owners to propose and manage integrations, rather than another individual partner launch.
Two routes, different reach
For services used across devices, Google recommends a remote MCP server. MCP, short for Model Context Protocol, is a standard way for AI software to call a service’s tools. Google documents this route for Search and Gemini across the web, Android and iOS.
For actions tied to an Android app, AppFunctions expose on-device capabilities to Gemini on Android. Google reviews the integration alongside the linked Play app’s production release; it becomes available when that release is approved and rolled out. This route is not documented as distribution into Search.
The practical choice is where the customer’s task runs: a service intended for web and iPhone users points toward the server route; an action needing content inside an Android app points toward AppFunctions. Sharing a console does not give the two routes identical reach.
What app owners should check before committing
The server route requires more than a website address. Google’s prerequisites include a publicly reachable HTTPS server, developer-account permissions, proof of domain ownership, and public privacy and service terms. Its platform policy also requires functioning services with useful features and limits data collection to what active features need.
Testing access is separate from approval. Google reviews and tests server integrations before developers can publish them. Developers also configure which countries, languages and Google products they want to serve. Those settings do not remove the limits of each product.
For customers, Connected Apps in Search currently work in AI Mode in the US, in English. Gemini’s eligibility table sets different requirements by app, including location, language, account type, age and device. These customer restrictions should not be mistaken for a complete statement of who can apply as a developer.
App owners should also follow a task through to completion, not stop at a successful connection. Google’s Instacart example lets a user build a grocery cart in Search but sends them to Instacart for checkout. That handoff matters when evaluating the experience: a created cart is not a completed sale.
For a workplace-focused comparison, see RohitAI’s coverage of Oracle’s planned business workflows in ChatGPT, a separate integration effort.
A useful next step is to choose a specific customer task, check the appropriate integration route and audience, then apply for preview access. Google’s announcement does not specify platform fees or a general-release date. Confirm costs and access timing before committing to a launch budget or deadline.