MKBHD’s wallpaper app updated with fewer ads

By wazup on October 4, 2024 Comments Closed / 40 views

Following a wave of criticism, free Panels users can download full-res wallpapers, too.

By Emma Roth, a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

An image showing Marques Brownlee holding up a phone with the Panels app open

MKBHD’s new wallpaper app has received its first big update after users criticized the app over pricing and the advertising setup for free accounts. On Friday, the Panels account announced on X that people using the app for free can now download high-resolution images — not just standard-definition ones — by watching a single ad.

The app previously required users to sign up for a $11.99 per month (or $49.99 per year) subscription to access images in full resolution. It also required free users to watch two ads before downloading standard-definition wallpapers. Panels has since taken this requirement away and will now let users download standard-definition images without seeing ads.

Additionally, Panels has removed ads from its explore page — where you can find new wallpapers to download — and added new art.

The update doesn’t include any changes to the price of the Panels Plus subscription, but that isn’t all that surprising given Marques Brownlee (aka MKBHD) has said, “It’s our own personal challenge to work to deliver that kind of value for the premium version.”