Marques Brownlee responds to backlash against $50 per year wallpaper app: ‘First thing we’re doing…'

Marques Brownlee has responded to backlash against his steeply-priced, subscription-based wallpaper app Panels. The noted tech YouTuber promised to address some of the concerns raised by his followers after his product – an app where users pay a yearly fee of $49.99 to access high-resolution wallpapers – met with overwhelming criticism online.

Who is Marques Brownlee?

Marques Brownlee, often known as MKBHD, is a popular American tech YouTuber. He is best known for his in-depth technology reviews, particularly on consumer electronics like smartphones, laptops, and gadgets.

With 20 million YouTube subscribers, Brownlee holds significant sway in influencing people’s decisions when it comes to buying electronics. In fact, he has even been blamed for tanking companies and products with his negative reviews, as happened most recently with the Humane AI pin.

What is Panels?

Panels is a wallpaper app that allows its subscribers to access a selection of “stunning full resolution wallpapers” from digital artists. The app, launched by Brownlee on Monday, comes with a hefty price tag - it costs $49.99 per year for a Panels Plus subscription. Users can also opt for the monthly subscription plan of $11.99 per month.

Users who subscribe will be able to download wallpapers in full resolution. People can also use the app for free - although then they will be able to download lower resolution images and will have to watch two ads.

Why the criticism against Panels?

Brownlee announced his new app as part of his iPhone 16 review on Monday. By Tuesday, social media had been filled with criticism against the wallpaper app, with some calling it a cash grab and others raising concerns about data privacy.

Most critics were surprised that such a product came from Marques Brownlee, who has built a reputation for his well-researched insights into the latest tech releases.

“Hard to understand someone spending all these years building up the best reputation in tech, and then suddenly blowing it all by releasing this ad-spamming, location-tracking, $11.99 a MONTH wallpaper trash. What on earth?” wrote one person on X.

“Imagine having a large enough audience to make almost any idea work, and then settling on a subscription-based wallpaper app,” another wrote.

Much of the criticism was directed towards the cost of the subscription, with users pointing out that people did not want to pay $50 for wallpapers. Some, however, praised MKBHD for supporting digital artists at a time when generative AI artwork is on the rise.

Brownlee’s response to criticism

Marques Brownlee responded to the backlash on social media platform X. He addressed two major points of criticism - concerns about pricing and data privacy.

Several people had pointed out that the Panels app can track users’ location, usage data, and other personal identifiers across apps and websites, according to TechCrunch.

“First thing we're doing is fixing the excessive data disclosures, as people rightfully brought up. For transparency, we'd never actually ask for your location, internet history, etc. The data disclosures (that everyone is screenshotting) is likely too broad, and largely driven by what the ad networks suggest. Working to fix that ASAP,” Brownlee said.

The American YouTuber said he is working on a plan to dial back advertisements on the app.

“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. (Weekly Friday drops are already starting) I'll also be dialing back ad frequency for the free experience,” he posted.

Browlee acknowledged that the target market for a subscription-based wallpaper app is “insanely small.”