The battle for the ultimate viewing experience just got hotter! Samsung is gearing up to challenge Dolby Vision 2 with its latest innovation, HDR10+ Advanced. But here's where it gets controversial: can Samsung's open-standard approach truly rival Dolby's proprietary technology? Let's dive in.
In September, Dolby made waves by unveiling Dolby Vision 2, promising to push picture quality beyond traditional HDR limits. Not one to be outdone, Samsung—a powerhouse in the HDR10 and HDR10+ consortium—has swiftly responded. This week, the company announced that the consortium is developing HDR10+ Advanced, a next-gen format designed to compete head-to-head with Dolby's offering. And this is the part most people miss: Amazon Prime Video has already pledged support, signaling a major vote of confidence in Samsung's vision.
According to a Forbes report, HDR10+ Advanced is packing six game-changing upgrades. These include an expanded brightness range, genre-specific tone mapping and picture processing, smarter motion smoothing, a dedicated cloud gaming mode, more localized tone mapping zones, and enhanced color accuracy. For beginners, think of it as a Swiss Army knife for your TV, tailoring the viewing experience to whatever you're watching—whether it's a fast-paced action movie or a serene nature documentary. And this is where it gets even more intriguing: HDR10+ Advanced is expected to debut on Samsung's 2026 TV lineup, with more details likely dropping at CES 2026 in January.
But here's the kicker: Is HDR10+ Advanced enough to dethrone Dolby Vision 2? While Dolby's format is proprietary and often comes with licensing fees, HDR10+ is open-source, potentially making it more accessible for manufacturers and consumers alike. However, Dolby's head start and established reputation in the industry can't be ignored. Which side are you on? Let us know in the comments.
And if you thought the competition was limited to visuals, think again. Samsung is also teaming up with Google on Eclipsa Audio, a project rumored to rival Dolby Atmos. Details are still scarce after its brief mention at CES 2025, but it’s clear that Samsung is playing the long game in both audio and video innovation. Will Eclipsa Audio be the game-changer it promises to be? Only time will tell. One thing’s for sure: the future of home entertainment is about to get a whole lot more exciting.
