Netflix now supports HDR10+ content on eligible devices

Netflix has announced the addition of HDR10+ support to its content. The feature will be available on gear that supports both the AV1 video codec and the HDR10+ standard, which provides a wider colour gamut and stronger dynamic contrast than the HDR10 standard does.

To watch HDR10+ material on Netflix, subscribers must subscribe to the company's Premium plan, which also includes 4K streaming and spatial audio capabilities.

While HDR10+ content will initially be rare, Netflix claims it will increase the number of HDR10+ titles in its catalogue in the following years. The new format will enhance Netflix's existing HDR10 and Dolby Vision offerings, giving customers more options for an exceptional viewing experience.

AV1-SDR is already the second most streamed codec at Netflix, behind H.264/AVC, which has been around for over 20 years! With the addition of HDR10+ streams to AV1, we expect the day is not far when AV1 will be the most streamed codec at Netflix.

To enhance our offering, we have been adding HDR10+ streams to both new releases and existing popular HDR titles. AV1-HDR10+ now accounts for 50% of all eligible viewing hours. We will continue expanding our HDR10+ offerings with the goal of providing an HDR10+ experience for all HDR titles by the end of this year.

HDR10+ is an open, royalty-free HDR format that dynamically modifies metadata on a frame-by-frame basis to optimise image quality for each scene. While Dolby Vision has dynamic HDR capabilities, HDR10+ provides an alternative standard with no license requirements. Other streaming platforms, including Apple TV+ and Disney+, have begun to support HDR10+.

With prominent TV brands like Samsung already supporting HDR10+ on their existing smart TVs, Netflix's embrace of the format should make it more accessible to users.