Disney+ Premium in parts of Europe has spent months looking less premium than the billing page suggests. After Unified Patent Court injunctions tied to InterDigital's HEVC patents, Disney pulled 4K and HDR features in multiple EU markets, then restored some 4K by switching streams to VP9. InterDigital answered by suing over that workaround too. If you pay for Disney+ Premium in Germany, France, Italy, or several neighboring countries, the useful question is not the courtroom slang. It is what still plays on your TV.
JUVE Patent reports InterDigital filed a Mannheim UPC preliminary injunction application over EP 2 465 265 (case UPC_CFI_3044/2026) aimed at Disney's VP9 use, plus a Düsseldorf main action over EP 2 605 473 covering the "Up-Next" autoplay feature (UPC_CFI_3043/2026). Heise quotes InterDigital CLO Josh Schmidt saying any VP9 use still infringes, and notes Disney did not immediately comment. Earlier UPC decisions in June and July 2026 already treated Disney as an unwilling licensee on HEVC-related claims spanning as many as eleven EU countries.
What Premium customers get today
ecoustics and follow-on local reports describe the practical split: VP9 can bring 4K resolution back on some devices, but HDR10, Dolby Vision, and 3D stay offline in the affected markets. Device support is uneven, so a 4K badge on the remote does not guarantee a Disney+ 4K stream.
| Feature / device path | Status in affected EU markets | Notes from public reporting |
|---|---|---|
| HEVC 4K / HDR10 (original Premium path) | Removed after UPC injunctions | Mannheim / Düsseldorf HEVC rulings; Disney appealing |
| VP9 4K workaround | Partial restore | Reported on selected Android/Google TV, Fire TV, LG 2020+, Sky Glass / Stream |
| Apple TV 4K, Samsung TVs, game consoles | Still out for the workaround | ecoustics and Connector both list these gaps |
| HDR10 / Dolby Vision / 3D | Still missing | No public restore date from Disney |
| Direct Disney+ Premium refund / exit | Available in some markets | Partial refund paths; Germany early-termination notes in JUVE / Heise |
Country lists vary slightly by story, but the Connector's rundown of removed features covered Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, and Sweden. Amazon Prime Video is repeatedly cited as still offering 4K/HDR after licensing InterDigital, which is the blunt competitive comparison Disney+ Premium subscribers can feel on the couch.
Why the VP9 suit matters
The first injunctions hit HEVC. Disney's answer was an alternate codec. InterDigital's August filings say that alternate path still lands on its patents, and the Up-Next case expands the fight beyond picture quality into a basic binge UI feature. Geeknewz is not predicting the next UPC order. The pattern is enough: each workaround can become the next complaint, so a restored 4K tile should be treated as temporary until Disney either licenses the portfolio or finds a path InterDigital will not chase.
For billing, reports say customers who subscribe directly through Disney+ can request a partial refund for the current period, while Apple, Google, or Amazon billers go through those stores. Downloads were reportedly unaffected when streaming quality dropped. That helps travelers and offline viewers more than anyone watching on a living-room OLED that suddenly lost HDR.
Geeknewz practical verdict
Geeknewz's view: if your main screen is an LG, Fire TV, Sky Glass, or a supported Android/Google TV set, the VP9 4K restore is worth keeping Premium while you watch for HDR news. If you live on Apple TV 4K, Samsung, or a console, you are still paying Premium prices for a Standard-looking picture in the affected countries, and that is a fair reason to downgrade or ask for the refund path your billing channel offers. Prime Video's licensed 4K/HDR path is the reminder that this is a Disney-InterDigital standoff, not a continent-wide 4K blackout.
Watch the Mannheim VP9 preliminary injunction and whether Disney publishes a device expansion or HDR timeline. Until one of those lands, treat "Premium" in the listed EU markets as resolution-optional and HDR-optional, not as the full upsell.
Source: JUVE Patent; Heise; ecoustics.