InterDigital Seeks $118 Million from Disney Over Disney+ Patent Use
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InterDigital Inc. is seeking €101.7 million ($118 million) in damages from The Walt Disney Co. for alleged unauthorized use of its high dynamic range (HDR) video technology in the Disney+ streaming service. The claim was filed at the Munich Regional Court earlier this month, according to people familiar with the matter. In November 2025, the court ruled that Disney infringed an InterDigital patent related to streaming video using HDR technology and granted an injunction barring Disney from using the technology. The damages claim covers Disney's use of HDR from the launch of Disney+ in Germany in 2020 through the end of 2025. InterDigital's chief legal officer, Josh Schmidt, stated that the damages claim reflects only part of the value Disney has derived from the technology and that the company prefers a negotiated resolution. Following the Munich injunction, Disney stopped offering Dolby Vision content to subscribers and stated that casting via Chromecast is currently unavailable to Disney+ customers in Germany and the Netherlands due to rulings by the Unified Patent Court. The broader dispute has sparked litigation across Europe, Brazil, and the United States.
Source report
Source: Bloomberg
InterDigital Inc., a technology and patent licensing company, is seeking €101.7 million ($118 million) in damages from The Walt Disney Co. over alleged unauthorized use of video technology in its Disney+ streaming service, according to people familiar with the matter.
The claim was filed earlier this month at the Munich Regional Court, said the people, who requested anonymity because the amount sought has not been made public. In November 2025, the court ruled that Disney infringed an InterDigital patent related to streaming video using high dynamic range (HDR) technology. The court granted InterDigital an injunction barring Disney from using the technology.
This request raises the financial stakes in a broader dispute over video technology licensing that has sparked litigation across Europe, Brazil, and the United States. InterDigital is seeking a long-term licensing agreement with Disney.
About HDR Technology
HDR aims to improve picture quality by displaying a wider range of brightness and colors, revealing more detail in both dark and bright areas of images.
Statements and Reactions
“This damages claim reflects only part of the value Disney has derived from our HDR technology,” Josh Schmidt, InterDigital’s chief legal officer, said in a statement to Bloomberg. “We prefer to reach a negotiated resolution with Disney.”
It remains unclear whether any settlement would approach the amount InterDigital is seeking, as Disney may resist such payment demands.
Scope of the Claim
The claim covers Disney’s use of HDR technology from the launch of Disney+ in Germany in 2020 through the end of 2025, when the Munich injunction took effect. It also accounts for streaming content delivered to subscribers in 19 European countries from server facilities near Frankfurt.
Impact on Disney+ Services
Following the Munich injunction, Disney stopped offering Dolby Vision content to subscribers. Dolby Vision had been part of Disney+’s premium subscription tier, which costs €5 more than the standard plan.
“Following recent rulings by the Unified Patent Court, casting from mobile devices or browsers via Chromecast is currently unavailable to Disney+ customers in Germany and the Netherlands,” Disney said in response to a request for comment.
Broader Legal Context
InterDigital stated that it has secured injunctions against Disney in Germany and Brazil, along with rulings from the Mannheim and Düsseldorf divisions of the Unified Patent Court. The two companies have also filed lawsuits in California and Delaware.
InterDigital said Disney continues to use some of its patented technologies without license. Schmidt noted that despite InterDigital obtaining eight injunctions in the broader litigation, Disney has reduced features offered to customers.
Original article: Bloomberg
Source
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