Our September 2022 report - “CTV’s Bundle ID Crisis” - described the problematic state of Bundle IDs in the Connected TV (CTV) ad ecosystem.
In this new report, we are expanding on that initial research by digging deeper into the app category most impacted by Bundle ID sprawl: Virtual MultiChannel Video Programming Distributor (vMVPD) apps.
To help the wider ad ecosystem better understand the nature of the problem, we are also opening access to a broader set of Bundle ID-to-App mappings for three vMVPD apps with the most Bundle IDs on both platforms.
Bundle IDs in CTV Apps
Distinguishing vMVPD Apps for the First Time
To properly measure and address this challenge, Pixalate first had to distinguish vMVPD apps from other apps in the CTV app marketplace. Our data science and engineering teams created a methodology to distinguish vMVPD apps, which is a first in the programmatic ecosystem.
In the process, we found that popular vMVPD apps like Sling, Dish, Fubo, Pluto TV, and Xumo seem to be the most impacted by spreading Bundle IDs. These apps have dozens or even hundreds of associated Bundle IDs. This is likely because with vMVPD apps ad partners end up combining the app Bundle ID with other pieces of information, such as the channel and network information for which the ad is available. Here’s an example of what ends up happening:
Until OpenRTB 2.6, there was no standardized way to communicate such information.
vMVPD apps have an average of 15 Bundle IDs, according to Pixalate’s data, compared to 1.5 for non-vMVPD apps. Here’s the breakdown by CTV app store:
Pixalate is opening up its data and making the mappings for the top three vMVPD apps with the most Bundle IDs on both Roku and Fire TV app stores available for download free of charge. We plan to update this list monthly.
We believe this data set will help the industry understand the scale of the problem, and better understand the usage patterns, to start addressing the challenge. Download the data from October 2022 for free below.
If you are interested in more insights like these from Pixalate, across desktop, mobile and CTV devices, please reach out to us using this contact form.
Disclaimer
The content of this press release, and the CTV Bundle IDs Report (the “Report”), reflect Pixalate's opinions with respect to factors that Pixalate believes may be useful to the digital media industry. Pixalate’s opinions are just that, opinions, which means that they are neither facts nor guarantees; and neither this press release nor the Report are intended to impugn the standing or reputation of any entity, person or app, but instead, to report findings and apparent trends pertaining to CTV apps from the Roku and Amazon Fire TV app stores.
