In a Surprising Twist of Fate, MKBHD’s Panels App Faces Backlash

Tech reviewer MKBHD’s new Panels app is facing significant backlash for being both a shameless money grab and an extremely niche product. Fans have come online in hoards to express their disappointment at the direction he has chosen to go. If you haven’t already heard, the popular YouTuber recently released a new app where users can find wallpapers for their smartphones and access premium content locked behind the sweet, sweet price of $50 USD per year.

Marques Brownlee’s app is facing criticism for being overpriced while also offering little in exchange for the amount, but users are equally concerned about the “excessive data disclosures” that are being expected. The choice to launch a wallpaper app is odd in and of itself, but regardless, the execution of the launch has been less than satisfactory.

After years of critically analyzing products that have entered the market, MKBHD’s wallpaper app controversy is giving him a taste of what it’s like to be on the receiving end of particularly painful feedback.

Image: Panels

MKBHD’s Panels App Is Facing Quite a Bit of Backlash from Users

Marques Brownlee, aka MKBHD, revealed the new app in his iPhone 16 review, taking a moment out to talk about Apple’s product to bring some attention to his. Right off the bat, the choice to launch a wallpaper app sounded extremely odd to users, as it didn’t appear that there was a specific market of users who were looking for premium quality wallpapers to switch between frequently enough to warrant a subscription.

Most who like to personalize their wallpapers do so by taking screenshots of images they like or downloading free options from Google and Reddit. Those more particular about high-quality images do perhaps turn to paid apps, but they don’t appear to belong to quite such a big group of users.

Does that mean the wallpaper app was destined to fail? No, not quite. If it was available at a decent price, with an extensive collection of unique and personalized wallpapers the app could have performed alright. Especially if the artists were compensated better than other platforms, such an app, backed by such a loved reviewer, may have found its audience.

Unfortunately, we have only seen MKBHD’s Panels subject to backlash from all directions so far.

What Does the Criticism of Marques Brownlee’s Panels App Center On?

The new Panel app by MKBHD offers “stunning” high-quality images for $49.99 USD per year or $11.99 per month. Those who do not want to pay for the service can still access some of the original wallpapers on the app, but you can only get lower-quality images in SD. Even this is not available for free—users will have to watch two ads to initiate the download.

The app promises to split the profit with the digital artists 50/50 to ensure that they get their share of the deal. If you want to give the app a go, it is available for both iOS and Android users so all smartphone users can look forward to the new wallpapers.

MKBHD Panels app saw backlash for the high price of the subscription as well as the excessive advertising on the platform for those who try to use it for free. Users also noted that the app asked for too much user data when you create an account, including location information. There is very little reason for a wallpaper app to collect that data. The app also doesn’t offer any unique content like live wallpapers so from all angles, the app is a basic image download platform.

Even more bad news for @MKBHD Panels wallpaper App.
Every wallpaper is stored in Google’s public API as a JSON file.
Easy way to get around his ridiculous paywall 🤣🤣@dylanjnich pic.twitter.com/0qd91k2B3w

— I Hate Apple (@iHateApplee) September 25, 2024

MKBHD is Fixing the Wallpaper App but Prices Are Unlikely to Change

MKBHD responded to the wallpaper app controversy by agreeing to fix elements of the app that have users disappointed. Turning to X/Twitter, he explained that the data disclosure requirements will be fixed as soon as possible. He also stated that it was their “personal challenge to work to deliver the kind of value for the premium version.” As such, it is likely that the pricing will remain unchanged but the team will attempt to make their services worth the price.

The criticism that Marques Brownlee’s Panels app is receiving also hinges on the fact that the reviewer has promised the app will get better over time. MKBHD’s own reviews have repeatedly reminded users not to buy a product based on the promise of a future update so the guarantees of an improvement here are extremely ironic.

So MKBHD launched his wallpaper app called Panels on both Android and iOS platforms.

I mean the wallpapers are nice. I can understand that wallpaper designers need a source of earning as well since they work hard. Even if someone uses AI to make walls, it’s not that easy to get… pic.twitter.com/ZNXQTEM0Fz

— Ariblaze 🤖🧑‍💻 (@ariblazeog) September 24, 2024

A large amount of the backlash that the Panels app is receiving is legitimate and reflects the fact that MKBHD has released an unfinished product, which is something he has criticized multiple companies for. Both Rabbit’s R1 device and the Humane AI Pin were heavily criticized for the quality of their product but MKBHD’s reviews were particularly critical of them.

Perhaps the MKBHD wallpaper app is a swing and a miss, but some of the reactions on here are so strong, as if he personally insulted everyone 😂

— Joe Rossignol (@rsgnl) September 24, 2024

All that aside, some of the hate towards the app is also a result of people poking fun at the successful reviewers work with no intention of ever using the app. Such criticism is inevitable and the reviewer will have to work to impress the fans who are still likely to consider giving the app a go.