A pre-installed Motorola system application has been found intercepting Amazon app launches on select devices and routing them through a hidden redirect that appends affiliate tracking codes, potentially generating commission revenue. The app is a system-level component, cannot be fully uninstalled, and the behaviour is not disclosed to users.
The issue was first flagged by a Reddit user and later independently verified by Android researchers. They found that when Amazon is opened from the app drawer, the launch is briefly redirected through a browser before landing in the app, with no visible indication to the user.
The redirect happens in milliseconds, making it easy to miss in normal usage. It does not trigger when the app is opened via home screen shortcuts, suggesting a narrow and conditional implementation.
Technical analysis indicates the flow passes through a third-party ad infrastructure layer that injects an Amazon affiliate tracking code during the redirect, enabling commissions on resulting purchases. The affiliate chain appears to involve intermediary domains and tracking services, though the final beneficiary remains unclear.
The behaviour has been confirmed on the Motorola Razr Fold (2026) running specific Smart Feed versions, while other Motorola models and software versions tested did not consistently show the same pattern, suggesting limited rollout or backend-controlled targeting.
In simple terms, some Motorola users may be opening the Amazon app as usual from their phone’s app drawer, but the phone could be quietly taking a quick detour in the background before Amazon fully opens.
That detour happens in a fraction of a second and is usually invisible. During that moment, a tracking code can reportedly be added to the Amazon link. If the user then makes a purchase, that code may allow someone in the affiliate chain to earn a commission.
For most users, the Amazon app would appear to open normally and nothing would look unusual. The concern raised by researchers is that this redirection is not disclosed and happens through a pre-installed system app that cannot be fully removed. At present, the behaviour appears limited to certain Motorola devices and software versions.
Motorola has confirmed it has stopped a feature on some devices that briefly redirected Amazon app launches through affiliate tracking links before opening the app. The company said the behaviour was “unintended” and has now been fixed.
The issue was linked to Motorola’s Smart Feed app and reportedly occurred when users opened Amazon from the app drawer, adding affiliate tracking data during the redirect. Motorola said the feature was part of an app search tool built with Device Native, but has not clarified why affiliate links were used or who may have benefited.