Finding Android apps on the Google Play Store just got a lot easier thanks to Gemini


Google is making Gemini even more useful on Android. Google first previewed the Google Play connected app for Gemini at Google I/O 2026, and it’s now finally rolling out to users. The new integration brings the Play Store directly into Gemini, letting the AI assistant help discover apps, make purchases, and complete more tasks without leaving the chat.

Gemini can now do more than recommend apps

Google says users can ask Gemini to find apps based on a specific goal, such as a map app for international travel or a productivity app for meal planning. Once Gemini surfaces relevant suggestions, it can open their Play Store listings, making it quicker to download and get started.

The new integration also expands into digital commerce. Users can now purchase Google Play gift cards directly through Gemini or search for and buy select in-app items for apps that are already installed on their device. Instead of bouncing between multiple menus, Gemini acts as a conversational front end for parts of the Play Store experience.

The Google Play connected app is rolling out gradually on Android devices. To use it, users must be 18 years or older, signed in with a personal Google Account, and have Gemini Apps Activity (Keep Activity) enabled. It’s worth noting that at launch, the feature isn’t available for Workspace accounts.

This feels like one of Gemini’s most practical upgrades yet

The funny thing is that most people don’t struggle with installing apps. They struggle with finding the right one. The Play Store is home to millions of apps, and simply searching by keyword doesn’t always surface the best option. Letting Gemini understand what users are trying to accomplish, then recommending apps based on that goal, feels like a much more natural use of AI.

More importantly, this isn’t just another extension. It’s another step toward Google’s bigger vision for Gemini. Over the past few months, the assistant has steadily gained deeper integrations with Chrome, Google Wallet, Messages, Phone, and now Google Play. The end goal is becoming increasingly obvious: instead of opening individual apps to complete a task, Google wants users to simply ask Gemini and let it figure out the rest.



Source link

Leave a Reply

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get our latest articles delivered straight to your inbox. No spam, we promise.

Recent Reviews


AirPods Pro 3

Jada Jones/ZDNET

This year’s WWDC is packed with announcements, including customization to the Liquid Glass display, substantial upgrades to Siri, and more intuitive device functionality.

Also: Apple WWDC 2026: Live updates on iOS 27, Siri, and Tim Cook’s last event as CEO

If you’re an avid AirPods user, there’s one announcement that may excite you, but speakers breezed past it, offering hardly any details. Still, Apple promised a real equalizer in iOS 27, finally giving users the opportunity to customize the sound of their AirPods. 

Apple didn’t say much about the equalizer, but a brief animation showed a graphic EQ, with options to create a custom EQ profile or choose Apple’s recommended EQ settings. Users can adjust lows, mids, and highs, though it’s unclear how precise the equalizer will be.

AirPods EQ WWDC

Apple

Previously, Apple had full faith in its headphones’ sound profile, vowing that its sound engineers crafted AirPods to sound as best as possible. Still, users prefer some control over their devices, and a custom EQ is a welcome addition.

Also: The feature Apple needs to make HomePod stand out isn’t audio-related

AirPods users could only change their AirPods sound profiles in Apple Music settings, and this customization feature still limited them to preset EQ profiles. 

An equalizer is a staple feature for consumer headphones, and even the most limited equalizers are better than none. Bose’s equalizer, for example, allows users to toggle bass, mids, and treble on a 20-point scale. 

Other companies, like JBL, offer a detailed equalizer with 10 frequency bands, adjustable in Hz. I don’t expect Apple’s equalizer to be as thorough as JBL’s, but instead to be on par with Bose’s. Either way, even if you’re content with your AirPods’ sound profile, the option to change it is what matters. 





Source link