InterDigital sues Disney for 101.7 million euros over HDR patents

patent infringement HDR technology streaming services damages claim licensing dispute

InterDigital has filed a lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company seeking 101.7 million euros in damages regarding the unauthorized use of High Dynamic Range (HDR) technologies on the Disney+ streaming service. The legal action, filed at the Munich Regional Court I, focuses on European patent EP 2 132 923, which covers methods for displaying HDR content to enhance contrast and color.

InterDigital claims the infringement spans from the launch of Disney+ in Germany in March 2020 through late 2025. The dispute extends beyond Germany, as the company asserts that streams delivered via a server farm near Frankfurt also served subscribers in 19 other European countries.

The ongoing conflict has already impacted service quality for Disney+ subscribers. Following previous court rulings, Disney has had to remove premium features, including Dolby Vision, 4K Ultra HD (on many devices), HDR10+, Google Cast, and Apple AirPlay 2. InterDigital maintains that Disney utilized these technologies to justify higher-priced premium subscription tiers without paying the required licensing fees.