The Disney+ Premium subscription just got a lot worse in certain countries. The service has removed access to 4K and HDR in some European countries, FlatpanelsHD reports.
Previously, Disney also removed support for Dolby Vision and 3D over a patent dispute before restoring both.
The loss of 4K and HDR is due to a court case, Disney claims, and it describes the move as “temporary”. However, there’s no word on when access will be restored, or whether those affected will receive compensation.
Like with the Dolby Vision and 3D issue previously, it mostly affects Nordic countries. We have confirmed on our own Disney+ Premium subscription that UK viewers are not affected.
“Following a recent court ruling affecting the technology we use to deliver 4K UHD and HDR, we have temporarily removed support for 4K UHD and HDR on Disney+,” The Walt Disney Company Nordic & Baltic told Flatpanels. “We are disappointed and share our customers’ frustration. We are working hard to restore support as quickly as possible.”
This leaves Premium subscribers in the affected regions paying for features that they cannot access.
In the UK, Disney+ Premium costs £14.99 a month, compared with £9.99 for the Standard tier.
Disney hasn’t disclosed the exact details concerning the court ruling in question. The removal of Dolby Vision and 3D was related to a decision by the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Europe following a patent dispute involving US-based company InterDigital.
It’s yet another reminder that streaming customers are beholden to the vagaries and legal quandaries facing the companies providing the service. We’ve never heard of a Blu-ray disc being downgraded after purchase.
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