Google opens Gemini and Search to a Connected Apps Platform

Summary

Google is opening its Connected Apps Platform to third-party developers. Developers will be able to submit their applications, which run within Gemini and Search, via MCP-based integrations. The platform is currently US-exclusive and in a public preview stage behind a waitlist.

Why it matters

If AI assistants become the primary interface for consumer transactions, being 'inside' Gemini or Search will replace the traditional app-launching flow. This mirrors the visibility race seen in the SEO era. Google already lists over 50 connected apps in Gemini and is integrating them into Search. This move will give the company a distribution moat that ChatGPT or Meta's Muse have not yet matched at scale. For developers, this will be the first standardized, console-driven path to reach Google's AI interfaces without building a standalone product.

Highlights

• The integration is built on cloud-based or Android MCP servers and AppFunctions APIs. The Google Connected Console is used for registration, testing, and submission processes.
• Developers can choose their distribution channel (Search, Gemini, or both). While Google retains control over verified logos and authenticated accounts, developers can monitor traffic, latency, and error rates.
• The platform is in a US-exclusive public preview stage behind a waitlist. Google has not provided a timeline for broader access or any pricing/revenue-sharing model.

Critical take

The SEO analogy is appealing but premature: SEO matured over two decades on an open, crawlable infrastructure. In contrast, this is a closed beta behind a waitlist, lacking published API costs, rate limits, or competitive ranking mechanisms. Until Google clarifies how it curates, ranks, or monetizes connected apps, the 'agentic web visibility' framework reads more like a marketing narrative than a ready-made platform for developers.