Popular tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, received backlash following the release of his app, “Panels” over the past week.
Marques Brownlee is a highly respected YouTube reviewer, who has built his entire brand around his trustworthy account on the latest tech product releases and trends. He is also known for his enthusiasm for technology and gadgets, as seen in his many videos on his channel.
Some of his more popular uploads were his reviews on the Game Boy, Apple Vision Pro, the first Galaxy Fold, the Tesla Cybertruck, and his reviews on iPhones. He also has a video where he talked with Elon Musk about Tech.
“Panels” is a subscription-based wallpaper app that Brownlee revealed in an X post on September 23, 2024 (local US time), that is said to “elevate your screen time with a high-quality, personalized collection created by talented artists, turning your device into a digital art gallery.”
And now – I'm so pumped to be launching this app! People have asked where I get wallpapers FOREVER, so this is the answer, now and forever: PANELS!@panels_art
Available on iOS or Android https://t.co/sl7fitBKDt pic.twitter.com/b0u9h9Py6p
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) September 23, 2024
Marques Brownlee introduced his newest app in his newest video where he reviewed the newest iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro.
The price for this is about $11.99 for a month and $49.99 for an annual subscription, which his fans and critics find ludicrous, considering that one can just download a high-resolution wallpaper off the Internet or other websites.
Other personalities such as Zach Mills also pointed out that the app had some data and privacy issues, seeing as how the app is able to “track” your location.
Pretty disappointed in this. Doesn’t have the polish / design I’d expect. Seems like something that’s been on the App Store already that you slapped your name on. Ads everywhere and it just all feels like a cash grab to me
Also ease up on the location. There is absolutely no… pic.twitter.com/CzRNiJGNTc
— Ian Zelbo (@ianzelbo) September 24, 2024
uninstalled after 60 seconds. the wallpapers are nowhere worth $50/year
are you mad?
— ELMER (@SimplyElmer) September 24, 2024
Bro just download jpeg from internet
— Dr. Parik Patel, BA, CFA, ACCA Esq. (@ParikPatelCFA) September 24, 2024
Dude, is this a joke? Wallpaper app with monthly subscription!! Give me a break!
1. Most phone users use their own personal photos as wallpaper
2. There are literally millions of abstract wallpapers on the web.
3. Subscription based!!!— Praveen (@nmPraveen) September 24, 2024
As someone that reviews software for a living.
This. is. not good.
The intent is potentially amazing, you want to lift up artists and creators. but the execution here is flawed.
to maybe quote your own words “A victim of its future ambition”
Some key things to solve asap.…
— Linus Ekenstam (@LinusEkenstam) September 24, 2024
Seems like a lot of tracking for a wallpaper app pic.twitter.com/YCuVHf5Y55
— Zach Mills (@hacker6284) September 23, 2024
MKBHD is cancelling himself 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/NFpimnHE0O
— I Hate Apple (@iHateApplee) September 24, 2024
That’s a lot of data to sell wallpapers. pic.twitter.com/TjwvSZHSK6
— 𝐃𝐚𝐧 𝐎’𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐲 (@olearydan) September 24, 2024
Maybe ease up on the data linked and used to track. A wallpaper app doesn't need my location. pic.twitter.com/razjOI2s4Q
— notfauxfox (@notfauxfox) September 23, 2024
$50/yr for WALLPAPERS?! And not a single high-res wallpaper downloadable for free with ads? Love team MKBHD and all, but that’s crazy.
— Nevan (@NevInsights) September 24, 2024
Maybe ease up on the data linked and used to track. A wallpaper app doesn't need my location. pic.twitter.com/razjOI2s4Q
— notfauxfox (@notfauxfox) September 23, 2024
$50 annual subscription 😂😂😂 for wallpapers.
— Rookie_Ai (@modelywith20) September 23, 2024
https://t.co/uFuyPlPZUd pic.twitter.com/b1YQdYZBhE
— Neidisch (@neidischr) September 25, 2024
Marques Brownlee hates this one simple trick. https://t.co/I08x28ahDh pic.twitter.com/G7FjkXwnqZ
— Gus Gus (@MadeByGus) September 24, 2024
I haven't seen MKBHD getting roasted this bad ever. https://t.co/O9SjGpum4p pic.twitter.com/rTDxbUtn4y
— Sankalp (@sank_alp) September 24, 2024
Alex Kehr, CEO of Superlocal Maps, pointed out how this app is damaging to Brownlee’s brand of “advocating quality and usefulness”.
Brownlee responded swiftly to the negative feedback he’s (and his app) received over the week. On September 24, 2024, Brownlee addressed all of the problems pointed out by his audience and reassured that he will be working on all of them.
Part of building in public is getting mass feedback immediately, which is pretty dope. Almost exactly like publishing a YouTube video
First thing we're doing is fixing the excessive data disclosures, as people rightfully brought up. For transparency, we'd never actually ask for…
— Marques Brownlee (@MKBHD) September 24, 2024
With regards to his critics on Marques Brownlee’s wallpaper app—they’re kind of right, though. Who would pay a huge amount of money just to receive high-resolution wallpapers? Free, high-resolution wallpapers have been around for quite some time now, so making a paid app for it seems moot.
Well, the memes about Marques Brownlee’s app seem to be more entertaining than anything.
People to mkbhd pic.twitter.com/fS44N3H3dk
— Shantanu Goel (@shantanugoel) September 24, 2024
https://t.co/1rTKjxZhXi pic.twitter.com/sRScUbIcAa
— sophie (@netcapgirl) September 24, 2024
"crappy wallpaper app for $50/year" https://t.co/pEplXejclN pic.twitter.com/D0ajK9ols4
— vittorio (@IterIntellectus) September 24, 2024
this app could've been a google drive link https://t.co/dEQfi35d0v
— cokane (@cokanestudio) September 24, 2024
https://t.co/23uHy1bSdL pic.twitter.com/BdPmVAneJt
— porkychan (@hornswoggle567) September 25, 2024
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