Marques Brownlee to Close His Phone Wallpaper App ‘Panels’ by December 31

Popular YouTuber Marques Brownlee, known online as MKBHD, has announced the closure of his subscription-based mobile wallpaper app, Panels, which he launched in September 2024. The app allowed users to download digital wallpapers for a monthly fee starting at $11.99 (£9). Despite initial successes, including topping app download charts and reaching two million wallpaper downloads, Brownlee acknowledged that the app did not achieve the vision he had hoped for. He cited its niche appeal and inability to sustain itself as primary reasons for shutting it down. Brownlee thanked the artists involved in creating wallpapers and encouraged users to keep their purchased or downloaded wallpapers indefinitely. Active subscriptions will be refunded, and the app’s code will become open source, allowing anyone to create new projects based on Panels. Brownlee had previously noted that the app targeted a very small market, emphasizing that it was intended for fans who specifically requested such a product. The closure of Panels highlights the challenges even prominent tech creators face in turning niche digital products into sustainable ventures.