Quick Read
- Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and 3D content have disappeared from Disney+ in several European countries.
- The issue, first noted in Germany in late 2025, now affects France, Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, and Nordic regions.
- Disney states the problem is due to “technical challenges.”
- German media reports link the outage to a patent infringement lawsuit by InterDigital and a subsequent court injunction.
- Premium subscribers are now limited to HDR10, despite paying full subscription fees.
BERLIN (Azat TV) – Disney+ subscribers across several European countries are reporting the sudden disappearance of premium video formats, including Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and 3D content, leading to a noticeable degradation in picture quality. What began as isolated reports from Germany in late 2025 has now spread, with users in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, and Nordic regions confirming the issue in February 2026. While Disney attributes the problem to “technical challenges,” media reports from Germany suggest the widespread outage is connected to a patent infringement lawsuit filed by the American company InterDigital, which resulted in a court injunction against Disney.
Disney+ Premium Features Impact Across Europe
The premium streaming experience on Disney+ has been significantly altered for many European subscribers. Reports initially surfaced in late 2025 from German media outlets, such as 4KFilme, indicating that Dolby Vision and HDR10+ were no longer available on the platform in Germany. This meant that users, despite paying for a premium subscription, were limited to streaming in the standard HDR10 format. In February 2026, the issue escalated, with numerous subscribers on platforms like Reddit and local media outlets such as Dutch publication Tweakers confirming similar losses in their respective countries, including France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, and the Nordics. FlatpanelsHD also confirmed the issue on its devices.
Beyond advanced HDR formats, 3D movies on Disney+ have also vanished in several European countries. These 3D offerings were primarily presented in Dolby Vision, particularly for devices like the Apple Vision Pro, suggesting a ripple effect from the broader removal of Dolby Vision support.
The InterDigital Patent Dispute
The most compelling explanation for the widespread service degradation points to a legal battle. In January 2026, German outlet Heise linked the initial German issues to a patent lawsuit filed at a German court. In this case, Disney is accused of infringing patents held by InterDigital, an American company specializing in radio and video technology. The court subsequently issued an injunction directly impacting Disney+ services.
InterDigital is known for its extensive patent portfolio, holding several thousand patents in relevant technologies. The company has a history of pursuing patent infringement cases against major tech players, including Amazon, Microsoft, and Samsung, and has sometimes been characterized as a “patent troll” due to its business model focused on patent licensing and litigation.
Subscriber Experience and Disney’s Response
For Disney+ Premium subscribers in affected regions, the situation is particularly frustrating. They continue to pay the full subscription price for a service that has demonstrably lost key premium features. While 4K UHD and standard HDR support remain available on supported devices, the absence of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ means a less immersive and visually rich experience for content that was previously advertised and available in these formats.
In response to inquiries, Disney issued a statement to FlatpanelsHD, acknowledging the problem but citing “technical challenges.” The company stated, “Dolby Vision support for content on Disney+ is currently unavailable in several European countries due to technical challenges. We are actively working to restore access to Dolby Vision and will provide an update as soon as possible. 4K UHD and HDR support remain available on supported devices.” Disney has neither confirmed nor denied any direct link between these “technical challenges” and the ongoing patent case. Furthermore, Disney+ has removed all references to Dolby Vision from its European support pages, and even its US support pages no longer explicitly mention Dolby Vision support.
Uncertainty for Disney+ Subscribers
The timeline for the return of Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and 3D content to Disney+ remains unclear. If the issue is indeed rooted in a patent dispute, such legal proceedings can be protracted and complex, offering no immediate resolution for affected subscribers. The lack of explicit confirmation from Disney regarding the patent link adds to the uncertainty, leaving customers to wonder when, or if, these premium features will be fully restored.
The broadening scope of the Disney+ content degradation, from an initial focus in Germany to a wider European impact, underscores the significant leverage that patent holders like InterDigital can exert on global streaming services, potentially forcing a reevaluation of content delivery strategies and licensing agreements.