Fire TV Stick users need to exercise caution when adding new apps to their devices due to recent developments. The popular tool “Downloader” has been removed from Amazon’s Appstore, leaving room for a potentially harmful copycat app aimed at scamming users.
The issue arose when Downloader disappeared from Amazon’s marketplace over the weekend. This tool, in use for almost a decade, allowed Fire TV owners to search for and install apps not found on official platforms, offering access to tools and applications unavailable in certain regions or early software versions.
Despite its widespread use, Downloader faced a temporary suspension, as explained by its developer Elias Saba, who also manages the Fire TV site AFTVnews. Amazon flagged Downloader as a web browser due to a recent update, breaching its policy against third-party browsers on Fire TV devices, leading to the app’s suspension.
In response, Saba released an update (v2.0.2) to address this browser identification issue and awaits Amazon’s approval to reinstate the app in the Appstore. Meanwhile, a counterfeit version of Downloader has emerged, attempting to deceive Fire TV users by tricking them into paying a weekly fee.
Saba advises against installing the fake “Downloader for Fire, Browser” app and urges users to report it to Amazon. Users with the legitimate Downloader installed should not delete it, as it may not be reinstallable until Amazon resolves the issue. Disabling Auto Offload in settings is recommended to prevent automatic removal of the app.
If Amazon greenlights the fix, Downloader could make a comeback to Fire TV devices soon, requiring users to stay vigilant.