Disney released an update this week that adds 4K HDR compatibility to the PlayStation 5 version of the Disney+ app.
The PS5 was one of the last consoles to lack that capability for the service, and Disney+ is one of the last services to receive 4K HDR support on the console.
Because the company launched an entirely new app called “Disney+ (PS5),” Disney+ on PS5 will not auto-update to add 4K HDR. Users can install it by going to the home screen’s Media tab and then selecting All Apps.
If users already have the old app, the new version should appear with a download indicator on the icon. When you install it, it automatically transfers all of your previous Disney+ login information.
Subscribers to Disney+ who have the necessary hardware and display can begin streaming in 4K HDR for free, whereas Netflix charges a fee for these features.
YouTube allows all users to watch videos in 4K resolution, but the service has begun testing the idea of tying UHD to a premium subscription.
Because the old app was a PlayStation 4 app running in backward compatibility mode (the only place confirming this is the PS5 menu’s “Downloads/Uploads” section), Disney+ previously limited PS5 users to 1080p.
Other services, such as Netflix, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime Video, already have PS5-native apps that support 4K HDR, whereas Hulu continues to lag.
Surprisingly, Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube already supported 4K HDR on the PS4 Pro.
Meanwhile, since the Xbox One S (which could only play 1080p games), every Xbox console has supported 4K HDR streaming.
Other set-top boxes, such as the Roku or Apple TV, may still offer better HDR and Dolby Vision functionality than game consoles while using fewer watts.
Only YouTube and Netflix support 4K HDR streaming on Windows PCs. After purchasing HEVC video extensions in the Windows Store for $1, Netflix supports the functionality in its Windows Store app and the Microsoft Edge browser. Unfortunately, no other services have stated that they intend to support 4K streaming on PC.
Disney also added 4K HDR streaming to its Star+ PS5 app for Latin American users.
To those who are unfamiliar, Star+ is a streaming service that provides content from Disney, FX, National Geographic, ESPN, and other networks to Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
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