David Bridges
Marques Brownlee, also called MKBHD, is a tech-focused content material creator with practically 20 million YouTube subscribers, famend for his opinions of the most recent devices.
He has dunked on the likes of the Humane Ai Pin and the Rabbit R1 with titles like “The Worst Product I’ve Ever Reviewed” and “Barely Reviewable,” however praised the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional (regardless of calling it flawed), OnePlus 12, and different merchandise.
Nevertheless, the seasoned, and arguably revered, tech reviewer lately launched a brand new wallpaper app known as Panels. And if X (previously Twitter) is something to go by (and the Apple App Retailer opinions), the reception for the app has been poor.
Even Jesse Lyu, the CEO behind Rabbit R1, appeared to show some schadenfreude over the wave of criticism Brownlee has confronted on-line, sharing the next meme together with his followers.
The meme depicts Brownlee because the grim reaper, poking enjoyable at how some critics understand the YouTuber as a “startup killer” together with his candid opinions. (When Brownlee reviewed the Humane Ai Pin, for instance, there was chatter about whether or not his harshness thwarts the expansion of small-time gadget makers.)
The meme exhibits Humane Ai Pin co-founder Imran Chaudhri, Lyu, and Apple CEO Tim Prepare dinner being victims of Brownlee’s sharp tongue. Curiously, the final individual of the lineup is Brownlee himself, implying that the YouTuber’s newest enterprise needs to be subjected to his personal brutal critiques.
MKBHD’s new Panels app will get poor opinions
It isn’t simply Lyu, nonetheless, who has been trolling Brownlee. The Panels app, revealed in Brownlee’s new iPhone 16 overview video, is designed to supply a curated assortment of high-res wallpapers from artists.
Credit score: Apple
“I am so pumped to be launching this app!” Brownlee mentioned in a Sept. 23 X publish. “Individuals have requested the place I get wallpapers FOREVER, so that is the reply, now and without end: PANELS!”
Nevertheless, the replies beneath Brownlee’s publish do not seem to match his enthusiasm.
Mashable Gentle Velocity
“Fairly upset on this,” Ian Zelbo mentioned. “Doesn’t have the polish / design I’d anticipate. Looks like one thing that’s been on the App Retailer already that you simply slapped your identify on. Advertisements all over the place and it simply all appears like a money seize to me”
“The app is trash, you may get higher, high-res wallpapers without spending a dime proper right here and plenty of different accounts on X,” Corbin Williams mentioned.
“This damages your model,” mentioned Alex Kehr. “It is loopy that the #1 tech reviewer recognized for advocating for high quality and usefulness would launch a cash-grab subscription app with horrible UI design, stuffed with adverts, and providing mediocre wallpapers.”
“Delete this rubbish and faux it was a joke,” bl0rq instructed.
Primarily based on the replies, as The Verge identified, it seems that customers are sad that the iOS model of Panels asks whether or not it might probably monitor customers’ exercise. One of many information factors that it reportedly screens is location. (Although, as you may learn later, Brownlee refutes this declare.)
On high of that, the app requires customers to join a $49.99 annual subscription or an $11.99-per-month membership. There are some wallpapers you may entry without spending a dime, however only some — they usually’re in normal definition (not high-res). However first, to entry them, customers have to observe two ads.
“$50/yr for WALLPAPERS?! And never a single high-res wallpaper downloadable without spending a dime with adverts? Love crew MKBHD and all, however that’s loopy,” Nevan mentioned.
“Half of your opinions are like ‘uh it’s costly and it doesn’t actually do something’ lol it’s best to overview your self,” cometcalls mentioned.
MKBHD responds to suggestions
On account of the suggestions, Brownlee posted a tweet on Sept. 24 that, partly, mentioned, “I hear you!”
In response to privateness issues, Brownlee mentioned the next: “Very first thing we’re doing is fixing the extreme information disclosures, as individuals rightfully introduced up. For transparency, we would by no means truly ask in your location, web historical past, and so on. The info disclosures (that everybody is screenshotting) is probably going too broad, and largely pushed by what the advert networks counsel.”
With reference to pricing, Brownlee mentioned that delivering worth for the premium model is a private problem — and he plans to dial again advert frequency for the free expertise, with extra updates to return.
The Panels app is not MKBHD’s first foray into an entrepreneurial enterprise. For instance, Brownlee has collaborated with Atoms for a sneaker line in addition to equipment maker Ridge.
The highway forward for Brownlee’s Panels app appears unsure, however with a devoted following and a promise of enhancements, there’s nonetheless hope for redemption.
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Ethan Carter
Daniel Mercer
