Motorola Enhances Smart Connect with AI-Powered Features at MWC 2025

AI Upgrades to Motorola's Smart Connect at MWC Make It More Essential Than Ever

Katie a UK-based news reporter and features writer. Officially, she is CNET's European correspondent, covering tech policy and Big Tech in the EU and UK. Unofficially, she serves as CNET's Taylor Swift correspondent. You can also find her writing about tech for good, ethics and human rights, the climate crisis, robots, travel and digital culture. She was once described a "living synth" by London's Evening Standard for having a microchip injected into her hand. Since Motorola debuted its Smart Connect tool in 2024, it's acquired nine million monthly users, but it could be about to gain a whole lot more thanks to upgrades announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week. Until now, Smart Connect has allowed cross-device integration between select Motorola and Lenovo products in much the same way Apple makes it easy to transfer tasks, apps and files between devices in its own ecosystem. But Motorola announced at MWC that it's opening up Smart Connect so that it's available on all Windows 10 and 11 PCs and will also allow for more integration for other Android devices, creating an easy and seamless way for you to cast, share and search across your phone, tablet and PC. Already the beauty of Smart Connect is that it lets you swipe up on activities you may be undertaking on your Motorola phone -- watching a TikTok video, for example -- to transfer them to your Lenovo laptop to carry on watching (although they do have to be on the same Wi-Fi network). Now you can do that via voice or text command, telling your device using natural language which activity or document you want to transfer to and from ("grab my taxi receipts from my phone and send them to my laptop," for example), and it following through instantly. This is one of the ways the updated Smart Connect is tapping into the powers of AI in a genuinely useful way. In a demo, I also witnessed how you could use a voice command to search across different devices for a document that contained a list of restaurants, but that did not actually contain the word "restaurant." Using context clues, the AI knows that the document on your tablet is in fact full of restaurant recommendation, and lets you view it on your phone or PC. Another new feature in Smart Connect is a device-management dashboard, which will let you see all of your devices in one place to allow for easy management. This and the other latest features will be available in the coming weeks by downloading Smart Connect from the Microsoft or Google Play stores.

Motorola's new Smart Connect features are a super practical use of AI

MWC can be a little too focused on fun concepts over genuinely useful innovation. But good news -- Motorola and Lenovo are here to save the day. Motorola's Moto AI and Smart Connect features are teaming up in a new update that promises to make Moto and Lenovo devices, plus Windows PCs, work together more effectively than ever. And considering you could already use Smart Connect to run your Motorola phone's apps on Windows and swap files between them, that's a big claim. First off, you can now use Moto AI to cast files or videos to another screen via voice commands. It looks to be much simpler to do than opening a specific casting menu, which should make this feature much more accessible in a pinch. A further addition is AI Search, a natural language search tool to find saved files on the Yoga Tab Plus (16GB). It's a shame that this feature seems to be limited only to this model, as search tools like this can be invaluable for finding information you know you have somewhere on your device, but also know you couldn't find manually. The last major change is a new dashboard for the Smart Connect mobile app, which shows all of a user's Moto AI-enabled devices, like their phone, PC, or Moto Tag tracker or Moto Buds earbuds, and lets you adjust their settings from a single location. Motorola says that this is available for all Android users via a new third-party integration option. Moto doesn't go into detail on this, but we'd assume this means that if you use Moto accessories with a non-Moto device, you'll still be able to use at least some of these features. The new generation of Smart Connect can be used on any Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC. The mobile side will work on select Motorola devices and Lenovo tablets, though these haven't been specified. Downloads will be available via the Microsoft Store or Google Play Store "in the coming weeks."

Motorola Smart Connect: you won't want to miss these free new features

Motorola has unveiled a whole host of useful upgrades to its Smart Connect platform at MWC 2025, introducing AI-powered features designed to enhance cross-device functionality between Motorola phones, Lenovo tablets, and Windows PCs. Whether or not the update will propel any of its devices into our best smartphones list, however, remains to be seen. Still, we're never ones to complain about feature upgrades, so let's dive into the details... If you're wondering what we're talking about -- Smart Connect is Motorola's take on a cross-device management solution that's comparable to Apple's seamless integration between iOS and macOS devices. The platform gives users some fairly useful powers, such as the ability to control their smartphone, tablet, and PC using a single keyboard and mouse. Users can also start watching videos on their phone and continue on their PC, share files wirelessly between devices, and even use their smartphone as a higher-quality webcam for video calls. For the system to work properly, all devices must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, though manual connection via USB-C cable is also supported. The latest update expands Smart Connect's capabilities through several AI enhancements. Content sharing becomes simpler, for a start, with the ability to cast from phones to TVs, PCs, or tablets using straightforward voice or text commands via Moto AI -- eliminating the need to navigate through pesky, complex casting menus. There's also a new AI Search feature, which transforms how users retrieve information across their devices. Rather than manually digging through nested folders, users can now use natural language queries like "grab my restaurant receipts" to locate relevant documents. Tying these features together is a completely redesigned dashboard in the Smart Connect app. A centralised interface now displays all compatible Moto AI-enabled devices -- from phones and PCs, to Moto Tag trackers and Moto Buds earbuds -- allowing users to monitor battery levels and adjust settings from a single location. As for its launch, the updated Smart Connect platform will be available over the coming weeks for select Motorola phones and Lenovo tablets via the Google Play Store. Windows users (on Windows 10 or 11) can also download the PC component from the Microsoft Store. Motorola hasn't specified exactly which device models will support the new features, at least at the time of writing.

Your Moto Phone and Lenovo PC Will Soon Work Better Together With Smart Connect AI Updates

Motorola Smart Connect -- the integration feature that seamlessly blends Motorola phones with Lenovo PCs -- is getting even smarter, thanks to a healthy dose of AI. Announced at MWC, Moto AI will now allow you to send what is on your phone's screen to a TV, PC, or tablet with a text or voice command. You can also use natural language to generate an AI search, while a new dashboard gives you easy access to your Moto Tag, Moto Buds, and PC. Smart Connect's new AI search function allows you to type in a query, such as "Find my restaurant receipts," and get instant results. For example, the AI will scour all of the files on your Lenovo Yoga Tab Plus tablet to answer your question. Additionally, Smart Connect now works with third-party apps and hardware, so more Android users can use the service. Smart Connect is only available on select phones, tablets, and Windows 10 and 11 PCs. It also requires you to download an app to use it on your PC. All devices must be running on the same Wi-Fi network for it to work properly, though you can also connect your devices manually with a USB-C cable. This latest update will be available in the coming weeks via the Microsoft Store or on select Lenovo tablets and Motorola devices via the Google Play Store.

MWC 2025: Motorola's Smart Connect Gets an AI Upgrade

The new Device Dashboard feature helps you keep tabs on the battery life of your devices. With the era of AI at its peak, firms are exploring more ways to integrate new AI features into existing device ecosystems. However, one area where we haven't seen much AI innovation is in the Windows and Android ecosystem. Microsoft's Phone Link is pretty meh unless you have a Samsung or other compatible device. Well, it seems Motorola has started taking Smart Connect seriously, as the firm has announced new AI features to improve the Windows-Android ecosystem. At MWC 2025, Motorola announced it will be adding a myriad of new AI features to the Smart Connect app. One of the main features includes the integration of Moto AI. Users can ask the AI to stream their phone's content to their laptop or TV. Besides, users can also ask the AI to search for documents from their phones or recommend and make a list of top restaurants, and Smart Connect will create a document with the same. Smart Connect also gets a new customizable dashboard to make managing devices easier. The dashboard shows all the devices, including PC, Moto Buds, and Moto Tag. Motorola says the new update offers a third-party integration as well, which allows more Android users to use Smart Connect features. As for the availability, the new Smart Connect features will arrive on Windows 10 or later PCs and on Motorola devices in the "coming weeks." What are your thoughts on Motorola Smart Connect? Which feature are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments.

Lenovo and Motorola Smart Connect updates focus on enhanced cross-device functionality

Motorola and Lenovo have announced updates to their Smart Connect platform, aimed at simplifying multi-device experiences. Smart Connect, designed to facilitate interaction between devices, has garnered over 9 million monthly users, said the company. Core functionalities such as Miracast display connectivity, Smart Clipboard, and App Streaming are utilized to enhance content access and productivity. The latest iteration of Smart Connect introduces new features and integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to further streamline workflows. A key development is the integration of "moto ai" on select devices. This feature allows users to initiate cross-device actions through voice or text commands. For example, users can cast their phone's content to a television or extend it to a PC or tablet. This aims to provide hands-free control for productivity and entertainment purposes. Additionally, the update incorporates AI Search, enabling users to retrieve stored documents using natural language queries. This functionality is demonstrated with the Lenovo YOGA Tab Plus (16GB) tablet, where users can request specific files, such as receipts, without manual searching. This feature intends to reduce the time spent on file management. A customizable dashboard has been added to provide a centralized view of compatible devices, including moto tags, moto buds, and PCs. This dashboard allows users to manage device connections and monitor battery life. Furthermore, the update includes third-party integration, extending select Smart Connect features to a wider range of Android users. This expansion seeks to broaden the platform's accessibility and facilitate continuous workflows across various devices. The updated Smart Connect platform will be available in the coming weeks. It can be accessed on Windows PCs (Windows 10 or later) through the Microsoft Store, and on select Lenovo tablets and Motorola devices via the Google Play Store.

Lenovo's Smart Connect is getting smarter and more useful with its latest update

There's also a new customizable dashboard showing all your devices in one place. Getting just the latest and greatest Android phone no longer cuts it, as most people have more than one device they regularly use. We've seen smartphone makers increasingly steer towards a connected device ecosystem, and consumers also love the idea of it. Lenovo and Motorola threw their hat into the ring with their Smart Connect solution last year at MWC 2024. This year, at MWC 2025, Smart Connect is getting new Moto AI features that elevate the multi-device ecosystem experience.

Motorola and Lenovo's Smart Connect app is expanding to all Android devices

Smart Connect is an app that allows users to pair their Windows machines to Motorola and Lenovo smartphones and tablets to provide integration between all of the devices and it has some clever features. Now, Smart Connect is expanding to all Android devices while also picking up some additional features. Firstly, Smart Connect is adding some new features. A new AI-powered search feature will allow users to find files, photos, and more across all of their devices from any of those devices. So if you need to find a file you downloaded but can't remember which device you were using, Smart Connect can find that file for you from any of those devices. Smart Connect is also adding natural language search and commands to the app, allowing users to perform functions in the app without needing to find the settings themselves. Smart Connect can already start your phone's hotspot from a laptop as well as run apps from your phone on your laptop, tablet, or TV. There's even a clever swipe gesture to send that app to another device, and it doesn't have to operate in the foreground on the original device either. This is also now possible using natural language voice commands. Motorola and Lenovo are also now expanding Smart Connect beyond their own devices, perhaps the biggest news here. While Smart Connect is already available for download on any Windows machine, it's now expanding to all Android devices. You won't get app mirroring and some other features (including AI search) which will remain exclusive to Motorola and Lenovo devices, but the ability to find files from your other devices and several other capabilities will be expanding to other Android devices - we'll update this post when we have a full list of what does and does not work. Finally, Smart Connect is also picking up support for IoT devices, including the Moto Tag and Motorola-branded smartwatches.