Disney+ Premium subscribers lose HDR and Dolby Vision in France
September 25, 2026 10.22 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Disney+ is facing a formal challenge from French consumer group Que Choisir Ensemble after removing several of the enhanced picture technologies included with its Premium subscription without reducing the price.

The changes are the latest consequence of Disney’s ongoing patent dispute with US technology developer InterDigital, which has secured a series of injunctions against the streaming company in Europe.

As previously reported by Broadband TV News, Disney+ began withdrawing Dolby Vision and other advanced formats following court action in Germany. In August, Disney temporarily removed 4K UHD and HDR in 11 European markets, including France, following further rulings involving InterDigital’s video technology patents.

Disney subsequently began restoring 4K UHD using alternative technology, although availability can depend on the device being used. HDR and Dolby Vision have remained affected.

French consumer organisation Que Choisir says this has left Premium subscribers paying €15.99 per month, compared with €10.99 for Standard, despite losing some of the picture-quality features that helped differentiate the more expensive package.

The organisation says Dolby Vision disappeared earlier in the year, followed by HDR and then 4K Ultra HD during the summer. While 4K has subsequently returned using the VP9 codec, Que Choisir argues the replacement is less widely supported and therefore does not restore the original service for all subscribers.

InterDigital Chief Legal Officer Josh Schmidt told Que Choisir that the company had been negotiating with Disney for several years but had been unable to reach a licensing agreement.

The dispute dates back at least to early 2025, when InterDigital launched litigation against Disney, Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ in the United States, Brazil, Germany and before the Unified Patent Court.

Since then InterDigital has secured a succession of decisions against Disney. Earlier this month, it won a third injunction from the Unified Patent Court, this time concerning technology used when video is shared between devices. The earlier UPC injunctions concerned HEVC video compression.

Que Choisir says Disney did not reduce the Premium subscription price when the features were removed and that communication with existing customers was late and incomplete. Although some subscribers reportedly received compensation after contacting customer services individually, the organisation says there has been no general compensation scheme.

It has now issued Disney with a formal notice calling on the company to restore the Premium offer or reduce its price, clearly inform affected subscribers and provide proportionate and consistent compensation.