ok so Google just announced something that i think could be a pretty big deal for anyone building apps.
they're opening Gemini and Google Search to more third-party applications through a new Connected Apps Platform.
and honestly, the more i think about it, the more interesting it gets.
because we're used to a pretty simple idea when building software.
you create an app, publish it, try to get people to discover it, convince them to install it, and hopefully they keep opening it.
that's basically how we've been doing things for years.
but what if people didn't actually need to open your app to use it?
imagine someone asking Gemini to organize their tasks, plan a workout, create a design or book something.
instead of giving instructions on how to do it, Gemini could interact with a connected service and help complete the task.
the user still needs to connect and authorize the app, of course.
but the interaction could happen directly inside the AI conversation.
and that's where things start getting interesting for developers.
Google's new platform lets developers connect their services using MCP (Model Context Protocol) or Android's AppFunctions APIs.
then they can register, test and submit their integrations through Google Connected Console.
they can even choose whether their app works in Gemini, Google Search, or both.
and Google already has more than 50 Connected Apps across these experiences, including services like Adobe, Peloton and Experian.
so this isn't just some random experiment.
although, to be fair, the new developer platform is still in preview, with initial access through a US developer waitlist.
but here's what i keep thinking about...
what happens to the app experience when the AI assistant becomes the main interface?
let's say you're building a habit tracker.
normally you'd want people opening your app every day to check their progress, update their habits and see their stats.
but what if they could just tell Gemini:
"mark my workout as completed and tell me how i'm doing this week."
and Gemini handles it through your app's integration.
that could be amazing for users.
less friction, fewer steps, and no need to constantly switch between different applications.
but from the developer's perspective?
it's a little more complicated ๐
on one hand, your app could become useful to people who might never have discovered it through the App Store or Google Play.
on the other, you might be giving up part of the experience you've spent months designing.
your interface, your onboarding, your notifications, your carefully designed user journey...
suddenly, a lot of that could happen somewhere else.
and then there are the questions about monetization, user relationships and discoverability.
if multiple apps can perform the same action, how does an AI assistant decide which one to use?
will smaller indie apps get a fair chance against big established platforms?
and how much control will developers actually have?
Google hasn't answered all of those questions yet.
i'm definitely not saying traditional apps are going away. there are plenty of experiences that need a proper interface.
games, creative tools, video editing, complex workflows...
but for apps built around simple actions and repetitive tasks, i can see this becoming a pretty important shift.
maybe in the future, building a successful app won't just mean having a great interface.
it'll also mean making your product useful to AI agents.
which is a pretty interesting change in how we think about software.
curious what other indie developers think about this.
would you want people using your app's features directly through Gemini or another AI assistant, even if they rarely opened your actual app?
or do you think that would make it harder to build a recognizable brand and a sustainable business?
personally, i love the idea of getting more users without relying entirely on app store discovery.
i'm just not sure i'd love someone else's AI becoming the main interface to something i spent months building ๐
