Google unveils Connected Apps Platform for Gemini and Search

Google has been building Gemini and Search into a shared surface for apps and services, and the Connected Apps Platform sits inside that push. The October 28, 2026 preview shows Google opening a developer-facing route into products that already reach users through search and chat. For businesses, that places Google’s AI stack closer to the front end of customer discovery and interaction.

If companies adopt this platform, their customer touchpoints may need to work inside Google’s AI interfaces rather than only on a website or app. That changes where developers think about visibility, access, and user flows across Search and Gemini. It also gives Google a deeper role in how businesses present themselves to customers.

The larger issue is the shift from open web navigation to platform-mediated interactions, with Google sitting between businesses and users more often. That can make access more streamlined, but it also concentrates more of the relationship inside a single company’s products. The trade-off is between convenience and dependence on a dominant search-and-AI gatekeeper.

Still open is which partners are included, how the integrations will work, and what developers will be able to build on top of the platform. The October 28 preview does not show the final feature set, pricing, or rollout schedule. Those details would determine how much control businesses actually get over their presence in Search and Gemini.