What is Motorola Ready For? (2024)

By Kayode Oluwatayo

Published Oct 18, 2023

Motorola wants your phone to replicate a full-fledged PC, gaming console, and smart TV

Motorola is making good phones worth gaining your attention again. But what value do you get for your money besides the brand's name, clean Android skin, and some solid hardware? Your phone can outperform its current use case, and Motorola thinks you can turn it into a giant computer by connecting to a big-screen TV or display.

Motorola Ready For aims to maximize your phone beyond its screen boundaries. You can play games, watch movies, extend video calls to a large screen, or control your phone from a PC. Motorola Ready For is available on the top Motorola phones today, and here's everything you need to know about it.

What is Motorola Ready For, and what can you do with it?

Most of us use our phones to complete tasks rather than use a bigger screen. Working on a spreadsheet, browsing with multiple tabs, editing videos, gaming, and sometimes responding to emails looks better on full-screen desktops than on smartphones. But again, the best tool is usually the one you have with you.

Desktop experience

When connected, Ready For looks like a regular computer interface with desktop icons, a taskbar, and other essential features. Your Android apps open as traditional windows, allowing you to maximize the multitasking capabilities of Android. You can use your phone as a trackpad or motion-sensing remote to control the display, but bringing a Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to the mix gives a realistic experience.

Smart TV on the go

Besides streaming Android apps, Motorola Ready For offers other experiences to prove it isn't a direct copy-paste of Samsung DeX. A built-in TV launcher turns any screen into a smart TV, allowing you to watch your favorite TV shows and movies on the go. The only criteria is that the app must support casting to an external display.

Gaming console experience

Ready For lets you play your favorite games with a Bluetooth-compatible controller on a large display if you're a serious gamer. A 5G network and plan are required for a seamless experience, but the major problem you may have is that games that rely on touch controls may become inoperable after connecting. So, you're better off without them.

Immersive video calls

Getting an immersive video call experience is one of the core features of Motorola Ready For. It extends your caller's video to the big screen, allowing you to sit back and use the rear cameras for crisp image quality. Motorola sells a proprietary Ready For dock that keeps your phone charged, cool, and at the best angle for video calls. The software also uses face-tracking to ensure you're always in frame.

Access your phone from a PC

Anyone can argue that some of these features are redundant on a computer, but the Ready For Assistant lets you access more on a Windows PC. When connected, you can share files seamlessly between both devices. The phone's storage shows in Windows File Explorer, and the program syncs text, screenshots, and other content from your phone's clipboard for easy access.

If you visit a place with no Wi-Fi access, use the Hotspot feature to tether your mobile network to the PC. You can also use the phone as a webcam to enhance your computer's video conferencing experience or as a secondary camera for livestreams. This is especially useful for popular video calling apps like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams.

You'll probably need a portable tripod for the best result if you don't have the Ready For dock. But even without it, the ability to control and adjust the camera settings from the phone or PC assistant is impressive.

Is my phone compatible with Motorola Ready For?

Nearly all the top Motorola phones released in 2021 and later can use the feature with the Ready For Assistant on PC. They don't need special cables or hardware features to make it work. Here are those phones:

Motorola Edge (2021)
Motorola G100
Motorola Edge 20 Pro
Motorola Edge 20 Lite
Motorola Edge 20
Motorola G200 5G
Motorola Edge (2022)
Motorola Edge+ (2022)
Motorola Edge 30
Motorola Edge 30 Fusion
Motorola Edge 30 Neo
Motorola Edge 30 Pro
Motorola Edge 30 Ultra
Motorola Razr 2022
Motorola Edge 40
Motorola Edge 40 Pro
ThinkPhone by Motorola
Motorola Edge+ (2023)
Motorola Razr+ (2023)
Motorola Razr 40 Ultra
Motorola Razr 40
Moto G84 5G
Motorola Edge 40 Neo

However, the compatibility with external displays narrows further. Some phones don't support USB video output, so they can't use Ready For on a wired connection. If your TV supports Miracast, Ready For is compatible with the phones listed above, except for a few budget selections. Available connection methods also vary from device to device. For instance, the Motorola Edge+ (2020) only supports Ready For on a wired connection. A quick run through the Ready For compatibility chart tells whether your phone is ready for the feature.

Can your smartphone replace a PC?

Motorola prioritized delivering user-centric features over the years, and that's vivid with features like Moto Gestures and Gametime. Similarly, Ready For offers impressive features worth giving a shot at. It won't replace a full-fledged computer. But if you own a compatible Motorola phone and the required hardware, it's an advantage knowing you can have a desktop-like experience wherever you go. Few phones have built-in features that effortlessly replicate a PC, gaming console, and smart TV.

Motorola Edge+ (2023)
$700 $800 Save $100
The Edge+ is Motorola's flagship for 2023, combining top-end specs like a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor with a curved display that wraps around the body of the phone for a wholly unique look. At $800, it's a far cry from the company's usual budget fare, but if you're interested in a high-end smartphone outside the Samsung-Apple duopoly, this one might be worth a look.

$700 at Amazon$800 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto Edge (2022)
$250 $550 Save $300
The Moto Edge (2022) has the capabilities to be one of the best budget devices on the market. You can routinely find this device for $350, which is one of the best devices you can find at that price. The Mediatek Dimensity 1050, coupled with 8GB of RAM, has the power to handle most tasks you would need from a smartphone. It won't provide the best graphics fidelity for games, but it also won't actively prohibit you from playing your favorite titles. You also get a fantastic 6.6-inch FHD+ OLED display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. The true standout here is the inclusion of the 144Hz refresh rate, which beats most other devices on the market, including premium devices. At only 170g, this device is incredibly light due to its plastic body. You also get a triple camera setup with a 50MP primary lens that can take decent photos. The Moto Edge (2022) is an amazing device, especially when you can find it on sale.

$250 at Motorola$244 at Amazon$250 at Best Buy