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      Challenges with CTV Bundle IDs

      Understanding the challenges related to the use of Bundle IDs (instead of App Store IDs) on CTV platforms

      What are Bundle IDs and App Store IDs?

      Bundle IDs are strings, typically (but not necessarily) structured in reverse domain notation (e.g., com.example.app) , and are commonly used by sellers and buyers to identify apps.

      Bundle IDs are not mandated/controlled by app stores or any other entity, leading to multiple Bundle IDs being used to reference the same app. For instance, the following are all bundle ids that refer to the Sling TV app on Roku -

       

      In contrast, App Store IDs are identifiers generated by the App Store for each platform. These IDs offer a more reliable way to identify apps since they are unique per OS platform.

      For example, the Sling TV app has an app store id 46041 on the Roku platform.

      How are Bundle Ids used?

      The use of Bundle IDs originated on iOS and Android mobile apps as a means to identify apps. As mobile app stores matured, these IDs became unique identifiers, and were referred to generically as “App Store IDs” (“app bundles” on Android and “bundle IDs” on iOS). However, when this concept extended to CTV Apps, the definition/creation of Bundle IDs was completely left to the discretion of whoever was using them, while each CTV platform had its own “App Store ID”. 

      Since Bundle IDs are manually created, Bundle IDs are not regulated and not guaranteed to be unique. Their structure is dependent on the users following best practices. And unlike App Store IDs, there also is no means to verify their authenticity on app stores.

      This lack of regulation has led to multiple Bundle IDs being used to refer to the same app by different entities. The Bundle ID field has even been used to pass additional information such as operating system or channel/network details. and sometimes even the name of the show, due to the lack of fields in the OpenRTB objects to communicate such information.  

      For example, com.sling.cnn.ctv.roku attempts to describe the CNN channel on the Sling TV Roku App.

      What is the problem with the use of Bundle IDs?

      Key Issues:

      • Targeting: Buyers struggle to identify the correct app due to duplicate or misleading Bundle IDs.
      • Attribution: Misidentified apps complicate campaign performance tracking.
      • Reporting: Metrics may not align due to inconsistencies in Bundle ID data.
      • IVT Risk: Fraud detection solutions often misclassify impressions as spoofed due to their inability to differentiate between incorrectly set up Bundle IDs as opposed to actual spoofing attempts, making accurate measurement of CTV impressions challenging.

        Unless a mapping solution (like the one developed by Pixalate) is used, these issues persist, affecting both buyers and sellers.

       

      How widespread is the problem of mapping Bundle IDs?

      Pixalate publishes quarterly reports on this topic that help understand the scope of the problem.

      1. Bundle ID Mapping reports
      2. Top 100 CTV Bundle IDs reports
      3. Malformed Bundle ID reports
      4. FAST Apps Analysis reports
      5. vMVPD Apps Analysis reports

      Is there any direction or industry standard around the use of App Store Ids and Bundle IDs?


      The industry is addressing these challenges through several initiatives:

      1. IAB Tech Lab Recommendations: The IAB Tech Lab advocates for the use of App Store IDs as unique identifiers for CTV apps.
      2. OpenRTB 2.6 Enhancements: OpenRTB 2.6 introduces Channel and Network Objects to alleviate the need for concatenating additional information into Bundle IDs.

      Until these solutions are widely implemented, an intelligent mapping solution, like Pixalate's, is essential to manage Bundle ID variations effectively.

      How does Pixalate handle Bundle ID issues

      Pixalate has developed a machine-learning and AI-based solution to address Bundle ID inconsistencies. This technology ensures that various Bundle IDs referencing the same app are accurately mapped to the correct App Store ID.

      Benefits:

      • Clients can confidently identify apps.
      • Fraudulent impressions are not incorrectly flagged as “app spoofing.”

      Pixalate's Media Ratings Terminal displays:

      • The list of Bundle IDs for each app.
      • The Share of Voice for each Bundle ID.

      This data is also accessible via API for clients to use.

      This knowledge is also used in our post-bid analytics & fraud detection products to ensure that we don’t incorrectly penalize traffic for “app spoofing.”