Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, recently addressed the controversy surrounding the pricing of his new wallpaper app, Panels. After receiving significant backlash from fans about the high subscription costs, Brownlee admitted that he and his team “failed on the price front.” Initially, the premium “Panels Plus” subscription was priced at $11.99 per month or $49.99 per year, which sparked complaints across social media platforms.

Brownlee took the feedback seriously and made changes to the app. He and his team removed in-feed ads from the free version, allowing users to access most wallpapers in 1080p without being bombarded by advertisements. They also introduced a new, more affordable $1.99/month “Panels Plus Standard” tier, which eliminates ads on individual wallpapers. The more expensive “Unlimited” tier, which remains at $11.99/month, offers full access to collections and early access to new wallpapers.

Additionally, concerns were raised about the app’s data collection practices. Brownlee acknowledged that the list of privacy permissions provided to the App Store was “way too broad” and partly attributed this to suggestions from the app’s ad service, AdMob. He clarified that the app doesn’t require users to create accounts and assured that the team is committed to not collecting unnecessary data.

Brownlee also mentioned that new wallpaper drops will happen every Friday and that the app will avoid using AI-generated content, reassuring fans about the app’s quality.