MKBHD’s new Panels app is a gateway to custom wallpapers on iOS and Android and fans of Marques Brownlee were looking forward to getting their hands on the experience. Brownlee revealed the app during his iPhone 16 review and got the public interested in the concept. However, after its launch, users realised the app wasn’t anything remotely different from every other generic wallpaper app on the App Store.
That is to say that Brownlee’s Panels app doesn’t do much different. It is littered with the same visuals, clunky menu system and of course, the horrid cash grab. Brownlee is asking users to fork out $11,99 a month to use this app or $49 a year to access the service. How many wallpapers can you possibly go through a month to warrant paying $12 for an app is beyond me.
Keep in mind that if you swing a bat in the App Store you’ll hit twenty, maybe thirty wallpaper apps that offer the same service. They also come with the same expensive subscription pay gate. So Panels was disappointing. It is even worse when you consider that Brownlee is a tech guy and knows what people want – it is definitely not a $50 wallpaper app.
Panels is meant to offer a curated selection of “stunning full-resolution wallpapers”. These images have been created by digital artists which is great. However, the price tag is a little too high for fans to digest. If you don’t want to pay for the service, you can download the standard definition version of the wallpaper after watching two adverts first. Yeah, standard-definition wallpapers are exactly what iPhone owners want on their displays.
One user says that the app looks like any other generic wallpaper app that Brownlee just slapped his name on. Another user has called out MKBHD for all the tracking permissions the Panels app asks for. When downloading the app, it asks for location tracking and your device activity. The same user says the wallpapers aren’t even that good.
MKBHD says the app is meant to help creators. Revenue is split 50/50 between them which is great and all. But again, $50 is a steep ask. Since the backlash, Brownlee says “As far as pricing, I hear you! It’s our own personal challenge to work to deliver that kind of value for the premium version. I’ll also be dialling back ad frequency for the free experience.” At the moment it isn’t clear if this app will get cheaper or what the plan is for pricing but its tracking permissions are being looked into.
If you want to get the app, grab it on the App Store here and Google Play Store here.
