Over the course of the last week or so, multiple Warner Bros movies that were previously available in 4K have reverted to HD, a change that applies to new purchases from iTunes as well as previously purchased movies.
There are complaints about the change both on Twitter and on the Blu-ray forums, as highlighted by 9to5Mac this afternoon. There are quite a few titles that have reverted from 4K to HD, including all of the Harry Potter movies.
A Blu-ray forums user compiled a list of the known titles that have recently been downgraded from 4K to HD.
22 Jump Street (2014)
About Last Night
Aloha (2015)
American Sniper
Annie (2014)
Batman vs. Superman
The Brothers Grimsby (2016)
The Equalizer (2014)
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
Ghostbusters II (1989)
Goosebumps (2015)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (2011)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 (2010)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Hercules (2014)
Hitch (2005)
Hotel Deluxe (2013)
Matrix Reloaded
The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
Risen (2016)
Spaceballs (1987)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Unforgiven (1993)
The Walk (2015)
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
It's not clear why these movies are no longer available in 4K, but there have been instances where movies are downgraded to HD and then are later made available again in 4K, so we'll need to wait to see if that's the case here.
One Apple support representative said that the downgrade was due to changes implemented by Warner Bros, which could potentially be accurate as that's often a reason why 4K availability shifts, but Apple support representatives don't always have the most up to date information.
Apple has been offering 4K movie titles from a range of different movie studios since the launch of the Apple TV 4K.
Update: This issue may be resolved as it appears many of the movies that were downgraded to HD are once again available in 4K.
Friday September 13, 2024 2:40 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we sometimes get rumored feature leaks so far ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different – already we have some idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you plan to skip...
Wednesday September 11, 2024 7:16 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Following its iPhone 16 event on Monday, Apple shared a PDF on its website with a list of all new features and changes coming with iOS 18. The list includes many features that were already announced, including Apple Intelligence, new customization options for the Home Screen and Control Center, a redesigned Photos app, several enhancements to the Messages app, a Passwords app, and more....
Wednesday September 11, 2024 8:20 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Will you be skipping the iPhone 16 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 17 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap key new features rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models so far: 24MP front camera for all iPhone 17 models: All four iPhone 17 models will feature an upgraded 24-megapixel front-facing camera, according to Apple supply chain analysts Ming-Chi...
Thursday September 12, 2024 6:12 am PDT by Tim Hardwick
Pre-orders for the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max are set to begin on Friday, September 13 at 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time, with the new devices set to become available in multiple countries around the world simultaneously. We've compiled pre-order times for various countries to help MacRumors readers be among the first to order. This list isn't...
Friday September 13, 2024 5:48 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Apple began accepting pre-orders for all four new iPhone 16 models today, and shipping estimates for the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max on Apple's online store in the U.S. are already beginning to slip into October for many configurations. As of 6:45 a.m. Pacific Time, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max were facing a 2-4 week shipping delay for some configurations on Apple's online store, with...
Sunday September 15, 2024 10:09 am PDT by Joe Rossignol
Following over three months of beta testing, iOS 18 will finally be widely released to the public this Monday, September 16. The update should be available to install tomorrow starting at around 10 a.m. Pacific Time (1 p.m. Eastern Time) in the Settings app under General → Software Update on the iPhone XS and newer. Below, we have highlighted eight key new features included in iOS 18, and...
Friday September 13, 2024 1:01 pm PDT by Joe Rossignol
iOS 18 will be released to the public on Monday, but the first Apple Intelligence features will not be available until iOS 18.1 is released in October. Apple Intelligence features will continue to roll out in iOS 18.2 and beyond, with the expected roadmap outlined below per Apple's website and rumors. Apple Intelligence requires an iPhone 15 Pro model or any iPhone 16 model, and it will...
Hopefully this is sorted out soon. I can't imagine they would be selling 4K movies and then downgrade them for customers who bought it when it was already 4K. Doesn't make any sense and makes them liable in a lawsuit. Seems like a glitch.
I'd imagine this is a glitch. But it still highlights the problem with digital movies and the associated "rights" you are actually purchasing. You don't really own these movies.
