HEVC licensing fees cause vendors to kill support

Companies are disabling High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) support in devices due to complex patent licensing fees and royalty disputes. This move impacts users by preventing playback of high-resolution content like 4K and HDR streams, and slows down video editing tasks. While a Microsoft Store extension offers a workaround for $1, the removal of built-in functionality is frustrating. Major players like Dell, HP, Acer, and Asus are affected, with some facing sales bans in Germany over patent infringements. The decision to disable HEVC often depends on whether a device is considered a 'premium system' with capabilities justifying the associated costs and legal risks.