What Motorola affiliate hijacking is and why it matters
Motorola affiliate hijacking is a smartphone link hijacking scheme where Motorola’s preinstalled Smart Feed app silently intercepts Amazon app launches, routes them through tracking URLs, and injects affiliate codes so someone else earns commission on purchases users initiate themselves, all without clear consent or disclosure. Users first noticed that tapping the Amazon Shopping icon from the app drawer briefly opened a browser before the Amazon app appeared. Network logs later showed requests going through devicenative.com and kira-abboud.com, where an Amazon affiliate code called “sramz-kff-008-20” was added. The behavior only triggered in specific launch paths, making it easy to miss. Even though Motorola now calls this an unintended routing configuration, the incident highlights serious preinstalled bloatware privacy concerns and how Android link handling can be abused to track shopping habits and monetize user activity in the background.
How Smart Feed hijacked Amazon app redirects
The Smart Feed app came preinstalled on several Motorola devices, including premium foldables, and was meant to power app search and suggestions in the Moto App Launcher. After an update to version 2.03.0070, users reported that opening Amazon from the app drawer triggered a quick detour through Chrome before landing inside the Amazon app. According to Smartprix, the phone first contacted kira-abboud.com, where the affiliate code “sramz-kff-008-20” was injected into the Amazon link. At the same time, background traffic to devicenative.com suggested involvement from an ad-tech partner focused on on-device monetization. Importantly, the redirect did not occur when launching Amazon from home screen shortcuts, widgets, or the recent apps view, which helped hide the problem. This is a textbook example of Amazon app redirects being silently modified at the system-app level to track and monetize user intent.
Motorola’s explanation and the unanswered questions
After sustained scrutiny from users and technology sites, Motorola finally addressed the controversy. In a statement shared with several publications, the company said Smart Feed was co-developed with Device Native to help users “quickly find and launch apps they already have installed.” Motorola added that it “acted quickly to resolve an issue that was identified, which caused some users launching the Amazon Shopping app to be routed through a web tracking link before opening the app.” The company described this as an unintended routing configuration and claims it has now been corrected so apps open directly again. However, Motorola has not given a detailed explanation of how affiliate infrastructure and codes ended up in Smart Feed in the first place, or who benefited financially. That lack of clarity leaves open questions about accountability and oversight for preinstalled bloatware and advertising partners.
What this reveals about Android link handling and bloatware
This incident exposes deeper risks around Android link handling and preinstalled bloatware privacy. Android lets manufacturers and partners plug into app launches and link routing, but that flexibility can be abused when system-level software rewrites user actions. In this case, Smart Feed acted as a silent man-in-the-middle between the user and the Amazon app, transforming a normal tap into a monetized affiliate event. Because the Amazon app still opened, many users would never suspect anything. It also shows how third-party ad-tech firms like Device Native can gain privileged access to device behavior through OEM partnerships. When that software updates, users inherit whatever new tracking or monetization logic is shipped. Without transparent disclosures, independent audits, or easy removal options, people are left guessing which preinstalled components might be quietly watching and modifying their shopping activity.
How to protect yourself from smartphone link hijacking
If you own a Motorola device with Smart Feed installed, the most direct defense is to disable the app. Go to Settings, open Apps, find Smart Feed, and disable it; reports show this stops the Amazon affiliate redirects without breaking normal phone usage. You can also reduce exposure to manufacturer link manipulation by pinning critical apps like Amazon to your home screen and launching them from there, rather than from the app drawer. For broader Android link handling control, consider using a third-party link handler such as LinkSheet to decide which apps open which links, instead of relying on OEM-added layers. When buying a new phone, read up on preinstalled software and how easily it can be removed or disabled. Until manufacturers treat preinstalled bloatware as optional and transparent, users need to assume that some system apps may be designed to monetize their activity.