Disney+ Finally Embraces HDR10+ – Samsung’s Big Win in the Streaming HDR Wars

Disney+ launches HDR10+ streaming: As of late October 2025, Disney+ has begun offering content in the HDR10+ format – a dynamic HDR standard that rivals Dolby Vision – marking Disney’s first foray into HDR10+ ^[1]. This long-awaited upgrade brings enhanced contrast and color to Disney+ content, starting with select titles and expanding over time. ^[2] ^[3]
1000+ Hulu titles get the HDR10+ treatment: At launch, Disney+ is offering over 1,000 titles from Hulu’s library in HDR10+ within the Disney+ app ^[4] ^[5]. These include movies and series under the Disney umbrella (such as Hulu originals and FX shows), with additional Disney+ and Hulu content slated to receive HDR10+ support later on ^[6]. (Disney requires a Premium subscription tier for 4K HDR streaming, which applies to this new content ^[7].)
Exclusive to Samsung TVs (for now): Initially, only Samsung TVs support Disney’s HDR10+ streams. Samsung announced its Smart TVs (Crystal UHD models and above from 2018 onward) are “the first to support HDR10+ content across Disney+ and Hulu titles” ^[8]. In fact, Disney’s HDR10+ rollout is launching exclusively on Samsung TVs – compatible with Samsung 2018+ 4K/8K TVs and select monitors – and users may need to update their Disney+ app to see the HDR10+ badge ^[9]. Other devices (like Apple TV 4K, Roku, etc.) do not yet get HDR10+ from Disney+, defaulting to regular HDR10 or Dolby Vision as before ^[10].
Dynamic HDR finally for Samsung users: Samsung TV owners are cheering because HDR10+ finally gives them dynamic HDR content on Disney+ that was previously missing. Disney+ has long offered Dolby Vision HDR on supported devices, but Samsung famously doesn’t support Dolby Vision – so those viewers were stuck with basic HDR10. Now, HDR10+ (an open, Samsung-backed HDR format) on Disney+ provides Samsung users a Dolby Vision-equivalent experience ^[11]. As The Verge notes, Disney was one of the last major streaming services to adopt the royalty-free HDR10+ format, and its inclusion now lets Samsung TV users enjoy scene-by-scene HDR optimization that other TV owners have been getting via Dolby Vision ^[12].
Disney joins the HDR10+ club with Netflix, Amazon, etc.: Disney’s move comes after other streamers have warmed up to HDR10+. Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+ have supported HDR10+ for years (alongside Dolby Vision) ^[13]. Netflix, which long relied solely on Dolby Vision for dynamic HDR, added HDR10+ streaming in March 2025 for compatible devices ^[14] ^[15] – a change celebrated by Samsung TV owners who previously got only static HDR from Netflix. With Disney+ now on board, all major streaming platforms support at least one dynamic HDR format, whether it’s Dolby Vision or HDR10+ (and increasingly both in the case of some content) ^[16] ^[17].
No content left behind – Dolby Vision stays too: Importantly, Disney+ isn’t dropping Dolby Vision; it will continue offering titles in HDR10 (baseline), Dolby Vision, and now HDR10+ simultaneously ^[18]. In other words, Disney is expanding format support to reach more devices. If your TV supports Dolby Vision, Disney+ will still deliver DV. If you have a Samsung or another HDR10+ device but not DV, you’ll get HDR10+ on the growing selection of titles. This dual-format approach mirrors Amazon’s strategy and ensures viewers see the best HDR format their TV can handle. (HDR10+ is backwards-compatible with regular HDR10 as well, so non-HDR10+ TVs just play the standard HDR stream.)
Why Samsung & Disney made this deal: Samsung co-developed HDR10+ as a royalty-free alternative to Dolby Vision, and has refused to support Dolby Vision on its TVs. That made Disney’s lack of HDR10+ a notable gap. Given Samsung’s role in HDR10+’s development and its stubborn no-Dolby Vision policy, analysts note that Disney’s partnership with Samsung here “is not hugely surprising” ^[19]. Both companies benefit: Samsung can finally boast that Disney+ looks just as good on its TVs as on Dolby Vision sets, and Disney can better serve a large segment of its audience. Disney first announced plans to adopt HDR10+ back in January at CES 2025 ^[20], and now it’s delivering on that promise in tandem with Samsung.
Hulu integration and one-app strategy: The HDR10+ launch leverages Hulu content at first, which ties into Disney’s broader strategy of integrating Hulu into Disney+. Disney now owns 100% of Hulu and is in the process of merging Hulu’s library into a unified Disney+ app by 2026 ^[21] ^[22]. In fact, internationally Disney+ already folded Hulu content under the “Star” brand, and on October 8, 2025 Disney rebranded its Star section to Hulu globally ^[23]. Offering Hulu titles (which include more adult/general entertainment fare) in HDR10+ on Disney+ not only upgrades their presentation, it also signals Disney’s commitment to a high-quality, combined service. Executives have touted this “one-app” approach as a unique value proposition that pairs Disney’s franchises with Hulu’s general entertainment and live sports (via an ESPN tile) in one place ^[24] – a move aimed at boosting subscriber engagement and retention.
Stocks and market reaction: While this HDR upgrade is more about delighting viewers than moving markets, it comes at a time when both Disney and Samsung are looking for wins. Disney’s stock (NYSE: DIS) trades around $112 per share as of the end of October 2025 ^[25], roughly an 18% rise year-over-year amid cost cuts and a focus on profitability in streaming ^[26]. Samsung Electronics’ stock (KRX: 005930) recently jumped to about ₩106,600 by Oct. 31 ^[27] after strong quarterly earnings – shares surged over 5% following a big profit beat in its chip division ^[28]. Analysts view Disney’s tech improvements (like HDR10+ support) as part of adding value to its streaming platform as it chases profitability, while Samsung’s involvement underscores its broader strategy to champion HDR10+ across the industry.

Disney+ Embraces HDR10+: Inside the Announcement

Disney’s addition of HDR10+ is a milestone in streaming tech, arriving just before Halloween 2025. On October 29, Samsung Electronics officially announced that Disney+ had begun streaming in HDR10+ and that Samsung Smart TVs would be the first to support it ^[29]. The news means Disney+ has joined the ranks of services offering a dynamic HDR format (which adjusts brightness and contrast scene-by-scene) rather than just static HDR.

According to Samsung’s press release, over 1,000 titles from Hulu’s catalog became available in HDR10+ on Disney+ “beginning today” (Oct. 29), with more Disney and Hulu content to follow ^[30]. This initial batch is sizable – effectively, a large chunk of Hulu’s library, from hit series to films, is now streaming with HDR10+ enhancements on Disney+. For viewers, the promise is a more vivid picture: HDR10+ uses dynamic metadata to optimize each scene’s look, delivering “dynamic contrast, richer colors and enhanced picture quality that bring your favorite content to life,” as Samsung touted ^[31] ^[32]. In simpler terms, dark scenes will reveal more detail and bright scenes won’t lose highlights, adapting on the fly to each moment.

Disney confirmed that its own Disney+ originals and library content will get HDR10+ treatment later on as well ^[33]. The focus on Hulu titles first is interesting – likely because Hulu’s content (much of it from networks like FX, ABC, Fox, etc.) was a logical place to start and perhaps easier to remaster or flag in HDR10+. It also aligns with Disney’s ongoing Hulu-Disney+ integration (more on that later). An Engadget report on the rollout underscores that this is “Disney+’s first foray into HDR10+” and that while it’s starting with about 1,000 Hulu shows, “other programming under the Disney umbrella will add support at an unspecified later date.” ^[34] In other words, fans can expect Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney Animation titles on Disney+ to eventually stream in HDR10+ as well, complementing their existing Dolby Vision streams.

Notably, to enjoy the new HDR10+ versions, subscribers must have the proper hardware and plan. Disney+ restricts 4K HDR streaming (whether HDR10, HDR10+ or Dolby Vision) to its higher-priced Premium tier, which also includes Dolby Atmos audio ^[35]. So basic-tier subscribers won’t see these upgrades. Additionally, your device needs to support HDR10+ output. At launch, only Samsung TVs (2018 models and later) are officially supported for Disney+ HDR10+ ^[36]. Samsung worked closely with Disney on this rollout – effectively making it an exclusive, early-access deal for Samsung’s user base. If you own a Samsung 4K TV or 8K TV from recent years, simply updating your Disney+ app should reveal an “HDR10+” label on applicable titles. Samsung’s Visual Display VP Inbeom Kim cheered the development, saying this collaboration “revolutionizes the way we enjoy content” and reiterating Samsung’s commitment to broadening HDR10+ support across the streaming landscape ^[37] ^[38].

What about everyone else? If you use Disney+ on a different platform – say an LG or Sony TV (which support Dolby Vision, but not HDR10+), or a streaming box like Apple TV 4K, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, etc. – you will not see HDR10+ on Disney+ just yet. Those devices will continue to play Disney+ in standard HDR10 or Dolby Vision (whichever they support), as they did before. FlatpanelsHD reports that it’s “unfortunate” that other TV owners and device users can’t enjoy HDR10+ from Disney+ at this time, though it spotted that the Apple TV app “already indicates HDR10+ availability” in its interface, hinting that a wider rollout may be on the horizon ^[39]. In other words, Disney+ is likely testing HDR10+ on Samsung first, with plans to enable it on other HDR10+-capable platforms once any kinks are worked out. (Apple’s tvOS added support for HDR10+ in 2022, and Amazon’s Fire TV supports it as well, so there’s no hardware barrier to those devices eventually getting it – it’s just a question of Disney flipping the switch.)

HDR10+ vs. Dolby Vision: Why This Matters

To understand why this move is significant, let’s briefly unpack the HDR landscape. HDR10+ and Dolby Vision (DV) are competing high dynamic range formats that both aim to improve picture quality by using dynamic metadata. Unlike basic HDR10 (which applies one static range of brightness/color info for an entire show or movie), these advanced formats can adjust the brightness, contrast, and color grade on a per-scene or even per-frame basis. The result: a more refined HDR experience, where details aren’t lost in very dark or bright scenes, and the image better reflects the creator’s intent across all types of content.

Dolby Vision has been the dominant proprietary format – it’s licensed by Dolby Laboratories and widely used on 4K Blu-rays and by streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and HBO Max. HDR10+, by contrast, was introduced later as an open, royalty-free alternative backed chiefly by Samsung (along with partners like Amazon) ^[40]. For years, Dolby Vision enjoyed broader support (especially on the content side), while HDR10+ was adopted by fewer services (Amazon Prime Video was the biggest supporter early on, using HDR10+ for its originals). Many TV manufacturers hedged their bets: companies like Panasonic, Philips, TCL and Hisense chose to support both HDR10+ and Dolby Vision in their high-end TVs, covering all bases ^[41]. But the two biggest TV makers took opposite sides – Samsung supports HDR10+ (only) and LG supports Dolby Vision (only), each refusing to implement the other’s format. This split meant consumers had to choose: a Samsung TV would never display Dolby Vision content in its full glory (it would fallback to HDR10), while an LG TV would not play HDR10+ (falling back to HDR10 on that content) ^[42].

Disney+, since its launch in 2019, has offered most of its marquee content in Dolby Vision HDR (in addition to base HDR10 for compatibility). Until now, it did not offer HDR10+, effectively leaving Samsung TV owners at a slight disadvantage. Those users could watch Disney+ in HDR, but only the static HDR10 layer – missing the extra pop and nuance that dynamic metadata provides. This stood in contrast to, say, Amazon Prime Video where Samsung TV owners could get HDR10+ on many titles, and Netflix where (until recently) Samsung owners were stuck with HDR10 but LG owners enjoyed Dolby Vision.

By adding HDR10+ support, Disney is leveling the playing field for HDR on its platform. Samsung TVs (and any future devices that use HDR10+ without Dolby Vision) will now get an elevated experience on Disney+. As The Verge cleverly put it, Disney’s move “gives people with Samsung TVs access to the dynamic HDR content that other TV owners have been getting from Dolby Vision” ^[43]. In other words, Marvel movie night on a Samsung just got a visual upgrade.

From Disney’s perspective, supporting HDR10+ is about reaching the widest audience with the best quality. HDR10+ is backward-compatible with HDR10, so it doesn’t fragment the user base – it only enhances those setups that can use it. And since it’s license-free, it costs Disney nothing extra (aside from encoding efforts) to deploy. Meanwhile, Disney keeps Dolby Vision in place for the many devices that support DV. This dual-format strategy mirrors what Netflix did in 2025 – Netflix realized it was excluding the Samsung segment, and quietly began streaming in HDR10+ on compatible gear (using AV1 codec streams with HDR10+ metadata) ^[44] ^[45]. Netflix noted that this change meant certified HDR10+ TVs would no longer be limited to basic HDR10 on its service, calling out the improved picture quality now available with dynamic metadata ^[46]. Disney’s move is cut from the same cloth.

It’s also worth noting the industry trend: we’ve gone from a “Dolby Vision vs HDR10+” showdown to a situation where many streaming apps and devices simply support both formats. Amazon Prime Video, for instance, carries HDR10+ on all its original content but also provides Dolby Vision on many titles (especially third-party movies) to devices that prefer DV. Apple has similarly embraced both (Apple’s devices output in DV or HDR10+ as needed). Disney was one of the last holdouts only doing Dolby Vision, but now it has embraced the open format too ^[47]. This suggests that, rather than one format “winning” outright, the industry may settle into coexistence – much like Blu-ray vs HD-DVD resolved with one winner, but here both HDR10+ and DV might survive as parallel options. TV makers like Philips even advertise supporting “the full suite of HDR formats” (HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, and Dolby Vision) to ensure maximum compatibility ^[48].

For consumers, having both formats supported is ideal – it means your TV or device will always play the best available version of the content. The downside is that it adds complexity in the production pipeline (studios have to master content in two formats). Fortunately, tools exist to generate HDR10+ metadata from a Dolby Vision master or vice versa, so it’s not double the work in many cases. We’re seeing content providers cover both: for example, some Ultra HD Blu-ray discs now include HDR10+ alongside Dolby Vision on the same disc, and streaming services are doing multi-format as well. Disney adding HDR10+ indicates they want the platform to be format-agnostic and future-proof.

Samsung’s Big Win – and Will Others Follow?

It’s hard to overstate what a win this is for Samsung and its customers. Samsung has spent years championing HDR10+ even as Dolby Vision gained dominance. The company often found itself isolated – critics have called Samsung “needlessly stubborn” for eschewing Dolby Vision, given how widespread it is ^[49]. Samsung’s argument has been that HDR10+ is just as good in terms of quality and that avoiding Dolby’s licensing keeps TVs more affordable. Regardless of one’s stance in that debate, the lack of Dolby Vision was a thorn in the side for Samsung TV owners who are home theater enthusiasts. A high-end Samsung 4K TV could beat an LG in brightness or color, yet when you streamed a Dolby Vision title on Disney+ or Netflix, the Samsung would only get HDR10, which in some cases could look flatter than the Dolby Vision version.

With Disney+ now on board, Samsung can finally assure its users that even on Disney’s platform they can get the best HDR version available. As the FlatpanelsHD review noted, prior to this, “all Samsung TVs were served Disney+ content in base HDR10” only ^[50]. That’s now changing, at least for a significant chunk of content. No surprise then that Samsung is publicizing this heavily via its marketing channels and even in TV firmware update notes. It aligns with Samsung’s broader push: the company has been trying to get every major streamer to adopt HDR10+. Amazon Prime was a co-founder of the HDR10+ alliance and has lots of HDR10+ content; Google’s YouTube supports HDR10+; and this year even Netflix – the biggest Dolby Vision proponent – came around to adding HDR10+ ^[51] ^[52]. Disney+ was the missing piece, and now that piece is in place.

Industry experts view this collaboration as a logical step. “Given Samsung’s role in the development of HDR10+ and the company’s strategy not to support Dolby Vision, this partnership is not hugely surprising,” FlatpanelsHD observed in its coverage ^[53]. In other words, it was almost inevitable that Samsung and Disney would work out a solution to benefit both. Samsung gets to please its customers (and perhaps attract new ones who value HDR10+), and Disney gets a marketing boost on Samsung’s massive installed base of TVs – plus more consistent quality for Disney+ across devices.

The big question is: Will Disney+ extend HDR10+ support to other devices and TV brands, and when? So far, Disney has not given an exact timeline. It’s likely a staged rollout. Since the Disney+ app itself on platforms like Apple TV and Fire TV is already hinting at HDR10+ (per user reports and FlatpanelsHD’s findings ^[54]), we can expect an update in the near future that enables it there. Perhaps Samsung negotiated a brief exclusive window as a promotional perk – it wouldn’t be the first time a platform got early access to a feature. Or it could simply be that Samsung’s Tizen app was ready first because of close collaboration, with others to follow as they pass testing.

It will also be interesting to see if other TV manufacturers add HDR10+ support to join the trend. On the device side, many 4K streamers (Fire TV, Chromecast Ultra/Google TV, Panasonic UltraHD players, etc.) already support HDR10+. But notable TV holdouts include LG and Sony, which still do not support HDR10+ on their TVs (focusing only on Dolby Vision) ^[55] ^[56]. These two have shown no indication of changing course. Sony, for instance, has said there’s little demand for HDR10+ and that Dolby Vision covers the use case; LG has been firmly in Dolby’s camp. That means if you have, say, an LG OLED, you won’t directly benefit from Disney’s HDR10+ – your TV will continue showing the Dolby Vision layer (which is fine, since LG excels at DV). However, consider that some content on Disney+ might eventually be available only in HDR10+ and not Dolby Vision. Is that possible? Right now, Disney says it will continue to offer both DV and HDR10+ for its catalog ^[57], but if one imagines a scenario where a piece of content (perhaps some Hulu library title or documentary) doesn’t have a Dolby Vision version, the LG user would just see HDR10. This dynamic could put a bit of pressure on LG/Sony to reconsider adding HDR10+ as a “why not?” measure.

In fact, rumors have swirled that Samsung’s stance might soften in the coming years – and vice versa for others. Tech forums and insiders have speculated that Samsung might eventually relent and implement Dolby Vision in its TVs if consumers demand it, especially now that Samsung’s own phones and tablets can handle Dolby Vision ^[58]. So far, Samsung has not confirmed any such plans and remains committed to HDR10+. If Samsung ever did add Dolby Vision, it would truly end the format war on the hardware side, making every major TV format-neutral (one can dream!). For now, the status quo holds: Samsung bets on HDR10+, LG bets on Dolby Vision, and companies like Panasonic and TCL hedge by doing both.

The Bigger Picture: Disney’s Streaming Strategy & Outlook

Beyond the technicalities, this development fits into a larger picture of how Disney is positioning Disney+ in a fiercely competitive streaming market. After a red-hot start in 2020, Disney+ growth has matured and the company has been rethinking its approach to streaming profitability. Under CEO Bob Iger (who returned to lead Disney), there’s been a renewed emphasis on quality of content and quality of experience, as well as consolidation of Disney’s streaming offerings. In an August 2025 investor update, Iger and Disney’s CFO stressed “strengthening our streaming offering by fully integrating Hulu into Disney+” – calling the unified app a “one-of-a-kind entertainment destination” that offers subscribers greater convenience and quality ^[59]. The HDR10+ rollout can be seen as one small piece of that focus on quality and innovation.

Merging Hulu with Disney+ is a major strategic move slated to complete in 2026 (in the U.S.). Internationally, Disney+ already carries Hulu content (under the Star hub, now rebranded to Hulu as of October 2025) ^[60]. Domestically, Disney plans to fold Hulu’s content into Disney+ so users won’t need two separate apps. Part of making that successful is ensuring that all content – whether it’s a family-friendly Pixar film or a gritty Hulu drama – is presented in top-notch format on Disney+. By enabling HDR10+ and continuing Dolby Vision, Disney+ is ensuring that a Hulu show like Only Murders in the Building or The Handmaid’s Tale streaming via Disney+ can look just as visually impressive as a Marvel blockbuster in 4K HDR. This aligns with how Disney is marketing the combined service: a comprehensive, high-quality hub for everything from Star Wars to FX to live sports ^[61].

From a business standpoint, offering the best viewing experience is about value retention. With Netflix, Amazon, Apple, and others all vying for subscribers (and many also upping prices), Disney wants to give tech-savvy consumers one less reason to leave. Features like IMAX Enhanced (Disney+ already streams some Marvel titles in IMAX expanded aspect ratio with DTS:X audio), and now HDR10+, cater to the home theater enthusiasts who notice and appreciate such things. It’s no coincidence that Disney has also been upgrading its audio offerings – e.g. adding DTS:X audio tracks under the IMAX Enhanced banner alongside Dolby Atmos on select titles since late 2023 ^[62]. They’re aiming to make Disney+ a showcase platform for AV quality, leveraging their ownership of premium content.

What about the impact on subscriber metrics and financials? Disney recently reported a combined 183 million subscriptions across Disney+ and Hulu in its Q3 2025 results (Disney+ alone around 128 million of those) ^[63]. They projected adding millions more by year-end, partly on the strength of bundling and the coming unified app ^[64]. While an HDR upgrade isn’t going to suddenly add millions of subs, it contributes to user satisfaction and engagement – which can reduce churn. Moreover, it appeals to a global audience, including regions where high-end Samsung TVs are popular.

Disney’s stock has been on a bit of a roller coaster in 2025 due to broader factors (like film box office swings and TV ad softness), but the streaming division’s trajectory is improving as losses narrow. Disney has even decided to stop reporting quarterly streaming subscriber counts in 2025, signaling a shift to focusing on revenue and profit over raw sub numbers ^[65]. In this context, improvements like HDR10+ support serve to justify the higher priced premium tier and potentially allow Disney to inch prices up in the future without as much pushback, since the service is offering “more.”

On the other side of the partnership, Samsung’s interests are served by anything that elevates HDR10+. The company not only sells TVs but also has a stake in the success of HDR10+ as a standard (there’s an HDR10+ Alliance that Samsung spearheads). If more services use HDR10+, that bolsters Samsung’s argument to consumers that you don’t need Dolby Vision on a spec sheet to get amazing HDR. Samsung Electronics, buoyed by a resurgence in its semiconductor business in late 2025, is enjoying investor confidence (shares up over 5% after a strong Q3 earnings report) ^[66]. While the TV division isn’t the primary profit driver these days (chips are), being the “#1 TV brand for 19 years”, as Samsung touts ^[67], relies on continued innovation in display tech and features. High-profile collaborations with Disney help Samsung maintain that image of technical leadership in home entertainment.

Outlook: The Future of Streaming HDR

As we look ahead, what can viewers expect? In the near term, more Disney+ content will gradually light up with the HDR10+ badge. We might see Disney quietly update older titles or new releases to include HDR10+ metadata. Don’t be surprised if by early 2026, many or most Dolby Vision titles on Disney+ also carry HDR10+ for those who can use it – similar to how Amazon Prime Video handles dual formats. And as hinted, we anticipate Disney+ enabling HDR10+ on more devices beyond Samsung TVs, perhaps imminently. If you own a Fire TV Stick 4K or a modern Google Chromecast or an Apple TV 4K, keep an eye on those playback info overlays.

In the bigger picture, the HDR format war might be easing into a truce. Both major formats are now entrenched, and studios are learning to live with supporting both. Interestingly, just as HDR10+ gains momentum, Dolby is not standing still. In September 2025, Dolby announced Dolby Vision 2, a next-generation version of Dolby Vision that uses AI-driven “content intelligence” to further adapt HDR to ambient room lighting and even allow creative tweaks to motion and frame rates ^[68] ^[69]. Dolby Vision 2 promises features like Precision Detail for dark scenes and Authentic Motion to reduce judder without soap-opera effect ^[70]. Current DV-capable TVs can play DV2 content (it’s backwards-compatible), but to get the new perks you’ll eventually need new hardware ^[71]. It’s a reminder that innovation continues. Notably, Dolby Vision 2 is expected to be supported by major TV brands and streaming platforms (Disney+ included) in the coming years ^[72]. In fact, some TV makers like Hisense have already announced upcoming models will support DV2 ^[73], and a European broadcaster (Canal+) is lined up to be the first to stream in Dolby Vision 2 ^[74].

What does that mean for Disney and Samsung? It means that even as Disney embraces HDR10+, it will likely also adopt Dolby Vision’s evolution when the time comes – because again, Disney’s strategy is to be widely compatible and deliver the best to whichever device you use. Disney has not made any statements on Dolby Vision 2 yet, but as a content provider they won’t ignore it, especially if competitors like Netflix start using DV2 for new releases down the line. Samsung, on the other hand, will face a decision: stick to its guns and ignore Dolby Vision 2 (as it has original DV), or consider joining the Dolby Vision camp to give its customers every option. There’s no indication Samsung will jump onboard with Dolby Vision 2, but if DV2 gains must-have status (say, if it enables noticeable improvements that reviewers and home theater buffs rave about), Samsung could feel pressure. For now, Samsung is more likely to double-down on HDR10+ and perhaps contribute to future updates of the HDR10+ standard (such as HDR10+ Adaptive, which already adjusts HDR based on room lighting, and HDR10+ Gaming for game content). The competition between the HDR10+ ecosystem and Dolby will thus carry on, but largely behind the scenes – ideally consumers won’t have to worry about it because their devices and apps will just serve whatever is optimal.

In summary, Disney+ adding HDR10+ is a win for consumers and a sign of the times. It underscores that streaming services are increasingly focusing on technical quality in addition to content quantity. Five years ago, most streaming audiences might not have known or cared about HDR formats. Today, with so many 4K TVs in living rooms (and an increasing share of those being premium models that support advanced HDR), these details matter. Disney’s move ensures that whether you’re watching The Mandalorian on a Samsung TV or an LG, you’ll get a breathtaking HDR image either way – no compromises.

As streaming enters its next phase – one of slower growth and fiercer retention battles – expect to see more such quality-focused improvements. From high-bit-rate streams, lossless audio, HDR tweaks, IMAX ratios, to interactive features, the platforms are looking for any edge to keep viewers in the ecosystem. Disney’s advantage is its content, but it’s now bolstering the delivery of that content. As experts have noted, the best way to view content as creators intended is to have the right formats and devices ^[75], and Disney+ expanding HDR10+ support is about giving more viewers that ideal viewing condition.

For us, the audience, it’s great news: it means our favorite Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, or Hulu-origin series are only going to look better. If you fire up Disney+ on your HDR TV this week, you might notice new HDR badges or a visibly richer image on some shows. That’s the magic of a little “+” in HDR10+. And while it may have taken a while, Disney’s embrace of this technology shows they’re committed to staying on the cutting edge of home entertainment. In the ever-evolving streaming wars, sometimes it’s not just about what you watch, but how you watch it – and with HDR10+ in the mix, Disney+ just gave us another way to watch better.

Sources:

Samsung Newsroom – “HDR10+ Supported Content on Disney+ Launches First on Samsung TVs” (Oct 29, 2025) ^[76] ^[77]
FlatpanelsHD – “Disney+ now streaming in HDR10+” (Oct 30, 2025) ^[78] ^[79] ^[80] ^[81]
Engadget via StartupNews – “Disney+ begins rolling out HDR10+ support” (Oct 31, 2025) ^[82]
The Verge – “Disney Plus, plus HDR10 Plus, now on Samsung TVs” (Oct 30, 2025) ^[83]
FlatpanelsHD – “Netflix adds HDR10+ streaming alongside Dolby Vision” (Mar 25, 2025) ^[84] ^[85]
FlatpanelsHD – “Disney+ to stream movies and series in HDR10+” (Jan 09, 2025) ^[86] ^[87]
ts2.tech (TechStock²) – “Dolby Vision 2 Unveiled: AI HDR Revolution or Just Hype?” (Sept 2, 2025) ^[88] ^[89]
ts2.tech – “OLED TV Showdown 2025: Samsung vs LG vs Sony” (Oct 29, 2025) ^[90] ^[91]
Disney Q3 FY25 Executive Commentary – (Aug 6, 2025) ^[92]
What’s On Disney Plus – “Hulu To Launch Globally On Disney+ On Oct 8, 2025” ^[93]
Yahoo Finance – Disney (DIS) historical stock prices ^[94]
Yahoo Finance – Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) historical prices ^[95]
Reuters – “Samsung shares rise 5.3% after Q3 results” (Oct 30, 2025) ^[96]

References