Disney+ Halts Dolby Vision, HDR10+ in Europe Over “Technical Challenges”
Disney+ has recently suspended support for Dolby Vision and HDR10+ for its Premium users across several European nations. The service cited “technical challenges” as the reason for this disruption. Users of the Apple Vision Pro, which streams 3D movies in the Dolby Vision format, are also affected as these titles are currently unavailable in the impacted regions.
Statement from Disney+
FlatPanelsHD received a statement from Disney+ regarding the issue. The announcement indicated that “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.” Notably, the platform has removed all references to Dolby Vision from its support page, including the US version.
Possible Legal Issues
The situation appears to be more complex. Reports from last month indicated a patent dispute involving Disney and InterDigital, a US-based company specializing in advanced video technologies. A German court had issued an injunction related to Disney’s alleged infringement of an InterDigital patent concerning HDR technology in video streaming.
Current Options for Users
For Disney+ Premium subscribers in Europe, 4K and standard HDR content remain accessible. However, the return of Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support is currently uncertain. Here’s a summary of the situation:
- Service Affected: Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support disabled
- Regions Impacted: Several European countries
- Current Available Formats: 4K and standard HDR
- Legal Context: Patent dispute with InterDigital in Germany
- Status: Ongoing technical challenges, with no timeline for resolution
Subscribers are encouraged to stay tuned for updates as Disney+ works to resolve these technical challenges and restore full HDR functionality.
