Disney verliert erneut vor dem Einheitlichen Patentgericht in Düsseldorf

Disney has once again lost a case before the Unified Patent Court (UPC) in Düsseldorf, according to a statement from InterDigital, a U.S.-based patent licensing company. The firm secured a third injunction against Disney, which prohibits the use of certain technologies associated with Disney’s streaming service, Disney+. The ruling was issued by the Düsseldorf Local Chamber of the UPC under the reference number UPC_CFI_297/2025. The court found that Disney+ violates Patent EP 2 080 349, which relates to synchronizing media content across different devices, such as from a smartphone to a television. The ban applies to web-streaming via the Chrome browser and Disney+ apps for Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS. The patent in question was originally filed by Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications in 2007 and was acquired by InterDigital in 2022 from the Sony Group. The previous two injunctions issued by the UPC concerned patents related to HEVC video encoding and apply in eleven EU countries. This new ruling is narrower in scope because Patent EP 2 080 349 is valid only in Germany and the Netherlands. Disney has the right to appeal the decision. For customers of Disney+, the ongoing legal battle has tangible effects. High Dynamic Range (HDR) content continues to be absent from the German offering, and 4K streaming was temporarily unavailable. Premium subscribers have thus lost one of the key benefits of their more expensive subscription plans. As a result, Disney has granted these users a special termination right, allowing them to cancel their subscriptions without penalty. The dispute shows no signs of ending soon. Recently, InterDigital has filed two additional proceedings at the UPC targeting Disney’s attempts to circumvent its earlier losses. After losing the HEVC-related cases, Disney switched to the VP9 video codec to resume 4K streaming. InterDigital claims this move also infringes on its patents. To date, Disney has not paid any licensing fees, according to the patent licensing firm. The conflict highlights the broader challenges faced by streaming services in navigating complex intellectual property landscapes. With multiple patents being asserted against Disney, the company faces mounting pressure to either settle or continue defending its position through legal channels. The outcome of these cases could influence how other tech companies approach patent licensing and compliance strategies in Europe. As the legal process unfolds, the impact on consumers remains uncertain. While some features may become temporarily inaccessible, the long-term implications for Disney’s business model and its ability to compete in the streaming market will depend on the resolution of these disputes. For now, the focus remains on the courtroom, where the battle over technology rights continues.