Que Choisir, a French consumer rights organization, has formally raised concerns with Disney+ about the removal of Premium features without a corresponding price reduction. The group pointed out that the streaming platform continues to charge the same price for its Premium tier despite the loss of several advanced display technologies. Starting in early 2026, Disney+ has gradually removed image-enhancing features available only to Premium subscribers, such as Dolby Vision, HDR10+, 3D, HDR, and 4K Ultra HD. This follows a legal disagreement and patent dispute with the company InterDigital. Although 4K has partially returned by switching to a different standard using the VP9 codec, the same cannot be said for HDR technologies.
The removal of these features has left subscribers without access to higher image quality, and this loss has not been offset by a lower subscription price. Some customers have managed to secure minor compensation by contacting Disney+'s customer service, but the organization argues that this is not sufficient. Que Choisir has urged Disney+ to either restore the Premium features or reduce the subscription cost. The group also called for clearer communication with affected customers, proportional compensation, and an end to what it calls misleading advertising.
The situation has been made more complicated by recent price increases in the United States and a rise in advertisements on the platform. The removal of these features is also tied to a commercial dispute between the Walt Disney Company and InterDigital. Despite behind-the-scenes negotiations, the two sides have not reached an agreement, leading to legal actions and court rulings that require the suspension of these features unless Disney pays for the right to use them. To avoid payment, Disney+ has switched codecs from HEVC (H.265) to VP9. However, InterDigital claims that Disney is still using its patents without permission, even though the VP9 codec, developed by Google, is generally considered royalty-free.
Until a court decides the matter, Disney must assume there is a legal risk. The switch to VP9 has also limited the number of devices that can access Disney+'s Premium features, even though they were previously available. The Walt Disney Company has not responded to Que Choisir’s concerns.
Consumer Rights Group Warns Disney+ Over Premium Service Changes
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