MKBHD’s wallpaper app Panels is shutting down

Tech influencer Marques Brownlee, widely known as MKBHD, has announced the impending shutdown of his wallpaper application, Panels. This decision comes after a challenging journey since its launch in September 2024, despite the high expectations from fans and followers who admired Brownlee's insights as a tech reviewer with over 20 million YouTube subscribers. In a candid YouTube video, Brownlee reflected on the app's niche appeal and acknowledged the missteps made during its development. "We knew it was niche, but we made mistakes in making our first app, and ultimately, we weren’t able to turn it into the vision I had," he stated. He further elaborated in a blog post that changes within the development team hindered the project's growth. Brownlee's inspiration for Panels stemmed from the positive feedback he received about the wallpapers and lock screens showcased in his reviews. When the app was introduced, it aimed to provide unique, high-resolution wallpapers created in partnership with artists, available for $50 annually or $12 monthly. Unfortunately, the challenge of convincing consumers to pay for wallpapers, which are often freely available online, proved daunting. During its launch, Panels achieved significant attention, topping the iOS and Google Play charts for photo applications. However, it struggled to maintain that initial excitement. Reports from Appfigures indicate that the app garnered approximately 900,000 downloads and $95,000 in revenue across both platforms. Yet, in the past month alone, it managed only 3,000 downloads and $500 in spending, leading to its decline from visibility in U.S. app stores. Despite these setbacks, Panels users have downloaded over 2 million wallpapers, and the app is set to officially cease operations on December 31, 2025. Users with active annual subscriptions will receive refunds, and the blog post details expedited refund options. After the shutdown, all user data will be deleted, but the app's code will be made open source, allowing other developers the opportunity to build upon it if desired.