update · TowCue Editorial Team
Gemini Connected Apps August 2026
Gemini Connected Apps August 2026: a practical TowCue review and decision guide.
Quick answer
Google announced a major expansion of Gemini Connected Apps on August 12, 2026, adding 13 new third-party integrations across productivity, local/entertainment, music, and home/health categories. These join existing connections (Google Workspace, Canva, Dropbox, GitHub, Instacart, OpenTable, WhatsApp, etc.) and the new custom Model Context Protocol (MCP) support for Gemini Spark. Rollout is gradual "over the next few weeks" from the announcement date; availability varies by region, language, device, and subscription tier.
What changed
At the Made by Google event on August 12, 2026, Google announced a new slate of connected apps coming to the Gemini app. The announcement, authored by Mai Lowe (Group Product Manager, Gemini app), positions this as a continuing expansion of Gemini's ability to execute actions inside external services — not just answer questions.
Official source: Google Blog — New connected apps are coming to Gemini (August 12, 2026)
New connected apps (August 2026 batch)
| Category | Apps | Primary actions |
|---|---|---|
| Productivity & creativity | Granola, Otter.ai, Wix | Summarize meetings; edit your website |
| Local & entertainment | Fever, GetYourGuide, Localiza, OpenTable (UK), Ticketmaster | Book experiences, rent cars, reserve dinner, find event tickets |
| Music | iHeartRadio, Pandora | Discover stations, stream playlists |
| Home, health & lifestyle | Angi, Thumbtack, Zocdoc | Find home professionals, book doctor appointments |
Key notes from the official announcement:
- Rollout: "over the next few weeks" from August 12, 2026
- Availability varies by region, language, device, and Gemini app version
- OpenTable UK is newly added; US OpenTable was already available
- Localiza primarily serves Latin America car rental
Previous connected app expansions (2026 timeline)
| Date | Additions | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 (Gemini Drop) | Dropbox, Zillow Rentals, Viator | Google Blog — July 2026 Gemini Drop |
| Jun 2026 (Spark update) | Google Tasks, Google Keep, Canva, Dropbox, Instacart, OpenTable, Zillow Rentals + custom MCP support | Google Blog — Gemini Spark updates June 2026 |
| May 2026 | OpenTable, Canva, Instacart (initial MCP connections) | Gemini Release Notes 2026.05.19 |
| Jan 2026 | Gmail, Photos, YouTube, Search (Personal Intelligence launch) | Gemini Release Notes 2026.01.20 |
How Connected Apps work
According to the official help page:
- Permission model: You choose which apps to connect; can disconnect anytime in Connected Apps settings
- Activity setting: When "Keep Activity" is off, Connected Apps are unavailable on gemini.google.com, iOS, and smartwatches; on Android, only Device assistance, Phone, Messages, and WhatsApp remain available
- Regional/device variation: The apps shown in your Connected Apps settings are what's actually available to your account — not everything announced globally
- Privacy: Each connected service sees only the requests concerning it; connections live at the account level (sync across phone/laptop)
Custom MCP connections (Gemini Spark)
Since the June 2026 Spark update, users with Gemini Spark access (Google AI Ultra subscribers, US-first rollout) can connect personal or third-party apps via Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. This adds a custom app entry in Connected Apps settings, usable within Spark tasks for customized workflows.
Official documentation: Connect custom apps for Gemini Spark
Current Spark availability limits (per release notes): Not available in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, Switzerland, or Nigeria.
How to enable and verify
- Update the Gemini app to the latest version (features roll out gradually)
- Open your profile → App settings → Connected Apps section
- The list shown is what's available in your region/account
- Tap a service → sign in → approve permissions
- Test with a compound request (e.g., "summarize my meetings via Otter.ai this week" or "read my Wix services page and suggest a sharper headline")
What this means for workflow decisions
For freelancers/small agencies: Granola/Otter.ai + Wix turns Gemini into a meeting summarizer + website editor from chat.
For travelers/planners: Fever, GetYourGuide, Ticketmaster, Localiza make "find a family-friendly event Saturday under $50 and get tickets" a single request.
For busy professionals: Zocdoc (doctor appointments), Angi/Thumbtack (home services) — mainly US-focused for now.
For music listeners: iHeartRadio/Pandora move from "open another app" to "play a calm cello station" executed directly.
Important distinction: Built-in capabilities (image generation, Live, Workspace) work natively within Gemini's policy. Connected apps execute actions in external services — each service sees requests concerning it, and international availability is partial per service.
Limitations and unknowns
- Rollout timing: Google says "over the next few weeks" from Aug 12; no exact completion date given
- Regional gaps: Many services (Angi, Thumbtack, Zocdoc, Localiza, Ticketmaster, OpenTable UK) have strong US/regional focus
- No Spotify/Apple Music: Music streaming currently runs through iHeartRadio and Pandora only
- No WhatsApp integration announced: Treat any third-party claim of WhatsApp connected app as unverified
- Spark/MCP gated: Custom MCP connections require Gemini Spark (Google AI Ultra, US-first, not in EEA/UK/CH/NG)
- Keep Activity dependency: Connected Apps require "Keep Activity" on for most platforms
TowCue take
The August 2026 batch meaningfully expands Gemini's "do" surface — especially for meeting-heavy workflows (Granola/Otter.ai) and local booking (Ticketmaster, OpenTable UK, Fever). The MCP pathway for Spark users is the strategic lever: it turns Gemini into a programmable hub rather than a fixed integration list.
For most users, the practical next step is check your Connected Apps settings — that list, not the blog post, is the authoritative signal for what's actually available to your account. If you need cross-app automation with strict logs/retries, a dedicated platform (n8n, Zapier, Make) still offers more control than the current Connected Apps model.
Research sources
- Google Blog — New connected apps are coming to Gemini (Aug 12, 2026)
- Google Blog — Gemini Spark updates: macOS launch, connected apps and more (Jun 30, 2026)
- Google Blog — Gemini Drops: New updates to the Gemini app, July 2026 (Jul 31, 2026)
- Gemini Apps Release Notes
- Google Help — Use & manage Connected Apps in Gemini
- Google Blog — The Gemini app becomes more agentic (May 19, 2026)
Research sources
No public source list is attached yet.