YouTube tech star Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) has revealed he is shutting down his subscription-based wallpaper app, Panels, after a little over a year. The app, launched in September 2024, allowed users to download premium digital phone wallpapers for $11.99 (£9) per month.
Despite Brownlee’s huge influence — with more than 20 million YouTube subscribers — Panels faced backlash over its high pricing and privacy concerns from the start. Now, Brownlee has confirmed the app will officially close on 31 December.
In a video announcement, he admitted the project didn’t turn out as planned:
“We made mistakes with our first app… and we weren’t able to turn it into the vision I had.”
Brownlee said he hoped Panels would grow into a creative marketplace that supported digital artists and offered a thriving ecosystem for unique wallpapers. The app did enjoy early success, hitting the top of download charts and reaching two million wallpaper downloads. But ultimately, he said it wasn’t sustainable due to its small niche audience.
Shortly after the app launched, Brownlee acknowledged its limited appeal when responding to criticism online:
“Most people don’t download a wallpaper app… this is for those who have been asking.”
The Panels team thanked the artists involved and assured users that any wallpapers they purchased or downloaded would remain theirs forever. Active subscribers will also receive refunds after the shutdown.
In a final move, Brownlee announced that the app’s code will be made open source, allowing developers to build their own versions or create entirely new projects:
“We’re excited to see what new ideas may grow from it.”
#marquesbrownlee #MKBHD #panelsapp #technews #appshutdown #digitalwwallpapers #opensource #mobileapps #techcreator #YouTubetech
