What happens when Dolby and Samsung both reinvent HDR? The TV world shifts again – Automated Home

For nearly a decade, Dolby Vision has reigned supreme in the world of HDR (High Dynamic Range), setting the bar for picture quality across streaming, physical media, and high-end TVs.

It was the standard that gave movies their cinematic glow, deepened blacks to inky perfection, and delivered lifelike brightness where HDR10 fell short. But in 2025, that dominance is being tested.

Dolby has returned with Dolby Vision 2, its boldest and most controversial update yet. And just weeks later, Samsung fired back with HDR10+ Advanced, a next-generation rival that aims to do everything Dolby’s system can, only without the licensing costs.

Together, these two announcements have thrown the TV industry into what might be the biggest HDR shakeup in years.

This is not just about sharper images or punchier colors; it’s about who controls the next era of cinematic realism.

Dive deeper into how Dolby and Samsung are reshaping HDR and what this battle means for the future of your TV experience.

Dolby Vision 2: A smarter, more adaptive HDR

At IFA 2025 in Berlin, Dolby Laboratories revealed Dolby Vision 2, describing it as a “groundbreaking evolution” of HDR. The new standard builds on a decade of experience while pushing into the AI-driven future of display technology.

The highlight feature is a redesigned Dolby Image Engine, a new processing core optimized for ultra-bright, wide-color displays such as Micro RGB LED and Mini LED.

Dolby claims this engine can analyze both the content and the viewer’s environment in real time, thanks to something it calls Content Intelligence.

In plain terms, Dolby Vision 2 doesn’t just adjust brightness, it “thinks.” Using AI, it studies the type of content on screen, detects ambient lighting, and adapts everything from tone mapping to color grading dynamically.

Perhaps the biggest technical leap is bi-directional tone mapping. In older HDR systems, the content told the TV how to display the image. Now, the TV itself can feed information back to the content metadata, creating a feedback loop that tailors the HDR performance to each specific panel.

Dolby is splitting this new system into two tiers:

• Dolby Vision 2 for mainstream TVs.
• Dolby Vision 2 Max for flagship displays with extra processing power and premium hardware sensors.

Hisense is already onboard, confirming support for Dolby Vision 2 in its 2025 RGB-MiniLED lineup. On the content side, CANAL+ has announced its intention to master select titles and live sports in the new format.

HDR10+ Advanced: Samsung’s open challenge

Just when Dolby’s news was starting to settle, Samsung dropped its counterpunch: HDR10+ Advanced.

Unveiled during an event in Korea, the new HDR format takes the core of HDR10+ and layers in advanced AI processing, real-time content analysis, and adaptive tone mapping, sounding remarkably similar to Dolby’s playbook.

Samsung even demoed it side-by-side with standard HDR10+ on Micro RGB displays, claiming “a clear uptick in brightness, depth, and color fidelity.”

Like Dolby Vision 2, HDR10+ Advanced intelligently adjusts images frame-by-frame, analyzing both the genre and mood of content. A dark sci-fi movie might emphasize shadow detail, while a bright nature documentary could push vibrant color highlights.

But Samsung’s biggest advantage lies in accessibility. HDR10+ Advanced, like its predecessors, is open source. Any manufacturer can adopt it without paying Dolby’s licensing fees a point that may appeal to budget TV makers who want premium HDR without the cost.

Rumors suggest Amazon Prime Video will be the first streamer to adopt HDR10+ Advanced, with support already in development for upcoming programming. However, as with Dolby’s update, you’ll need new hardware. Older HDR10+ TVs won’t get firmware upgrades to enable the advanced standard.

A tale of two visions

At first glance, Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced sound nearly identical: both use AI-powered processing, both aim for more precise tone mapping, and both are built for next-gen displays. The key difference lies in ecosystem philosophy.

Dolby Vision 2 remains a closed, licensed system. TV makers must pay to use it, and Dolby tightly controls certification to ensure consistent quality. HDR10+ Advanced, on the other hand, is open and flexible, allowing faster adoption across brands and devices.

That difference could shape the future of HDR adoption. While Dolby Vision has historically delivered more consistent results thanks to its rigorous standards, HDR10+ Advanced might spread faster, especially among mid-range TV brands that want cutting-edge performance without higher costs.

Still, it’s not all sunshine for Samsung’s system. Dolby Vision 2’s bi-directional tone mapping gives it a technical edge, especially for displays capable of over 3,000 nits of brightness or extreme dynamic range.

Consumer confusion and backlash

Not everyone is thrilled about this HDR evolution. In fact, many enthusiasts are frustrated.

Dolby Vision 2 risks fragmenting the ecosystem, creating a divide between “old Dolby Vision” and “Dolby Vision 2.” Owners of recent OLEDs or QD-MiniLED TVs, who spent thousands just a couple of years ago, are wondering whether their sets will suddenly feel outdated.

Some online AV communities have even labeled Dolby Vision 2 a “cash grab,” suggesting it’s more about rebranding Dolby Vision IQ with AI buzzwords than truly reinventing HDR.

That’s not an entirely unfair claim. Dolby Vision IQ, launched in 2020, already uses light sensors to adjust brightness based on room conditions. Dolby Vision 2’s Content Intelligence seems like IQ 2.0, smarter, yes, but conceptually similar.

Then there’s physical media. Disc collectors worry that Dolby Vision 2 will favor streaming, where real-time AI processing can happen inside the TV, leaving Blu-ray discs behind. Since discs can’t carry adaptive AI metadata, they’d be limited to standard Dolby Vision.

Why this matters for TV makers

For TV manufacturers, these upgrades are about more than marketing; they’re a necessity.

The latest panel technologies, like Micro RGB LED and quantum-dot OLED, can reach brightness levels and color volumes that older HDR standards were never designed for. Without new tone-mapping methods, those panels risk underperforming.

Dolby Vision 2 and HDR10+ Advanced both offer frameworks that let TVs fully exploit their hardware potential, delivering more accurate, lifelike visuals that adapt to each display’s strengths.

For manufacturers like Hisense, TCL, and Sony, Dolby Vision 2 offers an established ecosystem with proven content partnerships. For Samsung, HDR10+ Advanced reinforces its long-standing decision to avoid Dolby licensing altogether.

What about streaming and gaming?

Streaming services are watching closely. CANAL+ has already confirmed Dolby Vision 2 support, and insiders expect Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ to follow within two years.

Gaming could be the real wild card. If next-gen consoles like the rumored PlayStation 5 Pro or a future Xbox integrate Dolby Vision 2 or HDR10+ Advanced, HDR gaming could finally become as advanced as cinematic HDR. For now, that remains speculative.

As for physical media, the outlook is cloudy. Dolby has promised backward compatibility, but without AI-driven metadata embedded in discs, Dolby Vision 2’s biggest upgrades may remain streaming-exclusive.

A subtle revolution or marketing spin?

The truth about these “new” HDR standards probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Dolby Vision 2 does bring genuine innovations: smarter AI, feedback-driven tone mapping, and finer motion control. But for most consumers, those improvements won’t feel like a revolution, especially when today’s Dolby Vision content already looks stunning on top-tier OLEDs.

Similarly, HDR10+ Advanced may sound impressive, but it too depends on compatible content and hardware. Without wide adoption from streaming platforms, even the best tech risks being invisible to everyday viewers.

Still, it’s clear that HDR’s next phase is no longer about sheer brightness; it’s about intelligence. HDR formats are learning to “see” and “think” in ways they never could before, optimizing each scene in real time for both environment and display.

Summing it all up

Just when you thought HDR had peaked, Dolby and Samsung are rewriting the rules again.

For most people, these updates won’t make their current TVs obsolete overnight, but they signal where the industry is headed. The next generation of HDR is adaptive, AI-enhanced, and display-aware. It’s designed for screens that don’t just show content, but understand it.

So, whether you’re eyeing a 2025 flagship OLED or waiting for CES 2026 to see how the dust settles, one thing is certain: the HDR wars are far from over.

And this time, it’s not just about brightness or contrast, it’s about who defines the future of “perfect picture.”

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This article was made with AI assistance and human editing.