Motorola users briefly ran into an unexpected detour when opening Amazon Shopping on certain devices. Instead of launching the app directly, the system first surfaced a browser page with a suspicious URL and then redirected into an Amazon affiliate link.
The behavior drew attention because it looked like a tracking path was being inserted before the app opened. Motorola later said the issue was not intentional and added that the problem has now been fixed.
The incident first came to light after a Reddit user noticed unusual activity on a Razr 60 Ultra. That device was reportedly sending repeated requests to devicenative.com, a company linked to Motorola through advertising work.
The same user traced the odd behavior to Smart Feed, a preinstalled component on the phone. 9to5Google later observed similar symptoms on a Razr Fold running Smart Feed version 2.03.0070.
How the path appeared
In one of the cases that surfaced, the browser URL briefly shown at the start was connected to a fashion influencer’s website. That made the sequence feel even more unusual, because the user was pushed through a web-based route before reaching Amazon Shopping.
Motorola told Android Authority that the behavior was “unintended.” The company also said the app should now open normally again without any extra steps from the user.
Motorola said it works with Device Native to build search and app-suggestion experiences inside Moto App Launcher. The goal is to help users find and open installed apps more quickly.
In this case, however, that setup appears to have caused a side effect Motorola did not expect. The company said it moved quickly after identifying an issue that sent some users in the U.S. through a web tracking link when opening Amazon Shopping.
Why the issue stood out
What made the case notable was not only the redirect itself, but the fact that it happened at the system level. A shopping app that briefly opens a browser and an affiliate link before loading normally feels inconsistent with the way users expect installed apps to behave.
Motorola said the routing configuration was corrected after the problem was identified. The company also said users can now open installed apps directly as expected.
The episode also highlights how much influence manufacturers can have over the software experience on their own devices. Launcher components, feeds, search tools, and related services can all shape how apps are found and opened.
That is why a problem in a built-in feature can affect everyday use even when the affected scenario is limited. In this case, Smart Feed was described as the trigger rather than Amazon itself.
For users who saw the behavior, Motorola said no special action is required. The company said the configuration fix has already been applied, so installed apps should again launch directly without passing through web tracking.
Motorola also said it continues to treat user experience, privacy, and platform integrity seriously. The company added that it will keep monitoring the system.
The situation has therefore shifted from a confusing launch path to a corrected configuration issue. Even so, it serves as a reminder that small changes to launcher behavior can have a direct impact on privacy and the way a phone feels to use.
Source: www.androidauthority.com
