D+ removing 4K in Europe

simchris

Probably not news to most, but hit my timeline again today:
Disney+ has removed 4K and HDR10 in Europe! The company confirms to Flatpanels that it is due to “a recent court ruling”.

Germania

simchris Disney+ has removed 4K and HDR10 in Europe!

simchris

Well, once again I should not trust whitey. Sigh.
Some movie/streaming blog and news portals, apparently not specific, such as removing from app, or removing entirely, or removing when it’s raining out, or a total AI hallucination.

Pardon the static 🙂

Germania

simchris Well, once again I should not trust whitey. Sigh.

That may well be the case on TV, but it shouldn’t have any influence on SF.

Since -as it happens- I’ve spent the last two days manually checking
(without SF) my D+ series for H265 availability using PlayReady ..
.. I can say that at my German location with German Account (which is affected - info),
even without a Premium subscription, I am offered 4K, DoVi + HDR wherever H.265 is available.

simchris

REF:
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1785420735
Disney+ removes 4K and HDR10 in Europe
30 Jul 2026 | Rasmus Larsen | 1 Comment
The streaming service had already lost Dolby Vision and 3D support, but has now also removed 4K and HDR10, meaning its Premium tier no longer delivers the quality it promises.

Disney+ downgraded its picture quality again in mid-June for subscribers in many European countries, removing support for Dolby Vision and 3D.

Now, 4K and HDR10 have also been stripped away. Several Flatpanels readers have alerted to the fact, and users in several European countries are reporting the same issue around the web.

“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 confirmed to Flatpanels. “We are disappointed and share our customers’ frustration. We are working hard to restore support as quickly as possible.”

hangd0g

Germania
I can confirm that all functions are working perfectly. However, all information regarding available formats has been removed, meaning there is no longer an option for 4K. On the other hand, the login process is smooth and free of restrictions.

simchris

Awesome 🙂

Germania

hangd0g

I suspect the D+ app simply filters out those formats in EU ..
.. but SF doesn’t use the app.

MrGrackle

At issue is a legality over the h265 codec. Wut?!?

0xFeedBeef

MrGrackle patent trolls doing their thing… 🤷‍♂️

alltiallomejl

Recieved from Disney this morning on email … I´m EU

// We are writing to inform you of certain changes to your Disney+ Premium subscription that now affect two video features: HDR and, on some devices, 4K UHD.

4K UHD: As a result of these updates, some devices that previously supported 4K UHD may no longer do so. Currently supported devices include Android TV devices, including selected models from Google, Philips, Sony, and others; Amazon Fire TV; LG TVs from 2020 onwards; Sky Glass; and Sky Stream. Device compatibility, support, and availability for 4K UHD may vary and change over time. We plan to expand device support in the future.

HDR: HDR is currently unavailable on Disney+ in your region. We are working to restore it as quickly as possible.

Because these changes may negatively affect your use of features included in your Premium subscription, you may cancel your subscription without penalty within 30 days of receiving this notice. You do not need to explain how the changes affect you. Your subscription will end once we process your request, and we will refund the unused portion of any subscription period that you have paid for in advance. Our contact details can be found via the link below.

You do not need to take any action if you prefer to continue your Premium subscription. If you would rather switch to a different subscription plan, you can do so online. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your Premium subscription, you may request a partial refund for your current billing period by contacting us within 30 days of receiving this notice.

If you have any questions, please visit our Help Center.

The updates described in this notice reflect a new court ruling that affects the technology we use to deliver 4K UHD, so we have adopted an alternative technology for delivering 4K UHD content.

What is not changing: Other key features of your Disney+ Premium subscription remain unchanged as part of this update, including:

Ad-free streaming of Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, Hulu, and much more
Downloads on up to ten devices
Dolby Atmos support
Streaming on up to four devices simultaneously

Thank you for being with us.

The Disney+ Team //

simchris

And update on codec change to get back 4K but not HDR (Europe)
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1785834485

Sebastian001

With StreamFab, none of that really matters. I find it more interesting that Netflix is now offering 4K in Chrome.

simchris

Sebastian001
Heh. Me too. I keep hoping SF will figure out how to leverage that in some way. Not so much for movies, but some Scifi series I love, not streamed anywhere else.

MrGrackle

Sebastian001 With StreamFab, none of that really matters. I find it more interesting that Netflix is now offering 4K in Chrome.

Here’s hoping we get this next in SF. Either that or via Playready.

Germania

4k is back (at least in Germany) with VP9 Codec, but no HDR with D+ App

According to German publication Heise, Disney+ has switched
from HEVC to the VP9 video codec to restore 4K streaming. {source}