Disney+ restores some HDR10 in Europe

Disney+ has partially restored HDR10 for its European subscribers by switching from the HEVC video codec to VP9-2, which supports 10-bit color depth. This change allows for improved image quality but does not fully restore all previous features.

Patent dispute causes loss of features

The loss of Dolby Vision, 3D, 4K, and HDR10 on Disney+ in eleven European countries was due to a patent dispute with InterDigital, a U.S. company that holds rights to the HEVC codec. This dispute led to court orders that forced Disney to remove these features.

Switch to VP9 codec

Disney opted to replace HEVC with VP9, a royalty-free codec, to avoid paying licensing fees. However, the initial VP9 profile only supported 8-bit color depth, limiting HDR support. VP9-2, which supports 10-bit color depth, was later used to restore some HDR10 content.

Limited device compatibility

Not all devices now support the new codecs. While some newer Android TV and Google TV models, as well as certain Hisense and LG TVs, support VP9 and VP9-2, devices like Apple TV 4K, Nvidia Shield, Samsung TVs, and Panasonic models do not. This has reduced the number of compatible devices.

Premium plan remains expensive

In France, the Premium plan, which includes 4K and HDR, still costs 15.99 € per month. This is 5 € more than the Standard plan, which only offers Full HD. Premium subscribers on incompatible devices receive the same image quality as the Standard plan but with fewer simultaneous screens.

Ongoing legal and consumer issues

InterDigital has expanded its legal actions to include VP9, and a hearing is scheduled for December. Consumer groups in France and other European countries are pushing for price reductions or compensation for affected subscribers. Disney has only offered limited refunds or a 30-day cancellation option.