Disney+ Loses 4K and HDR for Some European Subscribers Amid Patent Dispute

Disney+ Premium subscribers in parts of Europe have lost access to 4K UHD and HDR due to an ongoing patent dispute between Disney and InterDigital. The issue began in late 2025 when InterDigital secured a German injunction against Disney involving patented video technologies.

In February, some subscribers found that titles previously available in Dolby Vision were playing in standard HDR10 instead. Although Disney initially blamed 'technical issues', the company later acknowledged that litigation with InterDigital was to blame.

After Disney restored Dolby Vision and 3D support across much of Europe in March, the dispute escalated again in June when the Mannheim Local Division of the Unified Patent Court granted InterDigital an injunction covering an HEVC video-encoding patent. As a result, Disney removed Dolby Vision and 3D in affected markets once again.

Now, Premium subscribers in parts of Europe have lost not only Dolby Vision but also 4K UHD and HDR support. Affected viewers are dropping from 3840 x 2160 resolution with high dynamic range to a reported maximum of 1920 x 1080 Full HD with standard dynamic range.

Disney continues to charge the full subscription price for Premium, which is €15.99 per month or €159.90 annually in Germany. The company has not provided a restoration date or announced broad compensation for affected subscribers.