Disney+ restores HDR10 via technical workaround amid patent dispute

Disney+ has begun restoring HDR10 capabilities to certain devices in several European markets, including Germany and France, following a period where high-quality formats were removed due to a patent dispute with InterDigital. The legal conflict centers on the use of the HEVC video codec, for which InterDigital claims unpaid licensing fees.

To bypass the dispute, Disney+ is implementing a technical workaround by switching from the HEVC codec to VP9 and VP9 Profile 2. While this allows for the return of 4K and HDR10 on some hardware, the solution is limited by device compatibility. Users with certain brands, such as Samsung, Panasonic, Apple TV 4K, and Nvidia Shield, may still be unable to access these high-quality formats because their hardware does not support the alternative VP9 codecs. Dolby Vision remains unavailable.

In addition to the technical shifts, consumer protection groups have initiated legal action to seek compensation for subscribers who lost access to premium features without prior notice or reimbursement.