Marques Brownlee says he’s working to dial back the ads.

Marques Brownlee, known as MKBHD, faced backlash over his new wallpaper app, Panels, due to its high subscription cost ($49.99/year) and concerns over excessive data permissions.

Brownlee acknowledged user feedback, promising to adjust ad frequency for free users and address privacy concerns, clarifying that the app’s data disclosures were broader than intended.

The app, which offers curated wallpapers and shares profits with artists, aims to improve over time, despite criticisms of its design and monetization approach.

  • Deceptichum@quokk.auEnglish
    737·
    13 hours ago

    $50 a year for wallpapers or I could go to wallhaven and get millions for free?

      • JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nlEnglish
        2·
        2 hours ago

        Did he disclose an amount?

        5% to artists is very different than 40% to artists.

        Or is he adopting the Spotify bottom line?

        Only pay artists after X downloads and only pay a few cents after thousands of downloads and use the rest for profits

          • yggstyle@lemmy.worldEnglish
            101·
            11 hours ago

            Nah it’d be cheaper to commission the artist for a dozen or so pictures for 45 bucks:

            First you need to blow some ungodly amount of money on breaking the time/space barrier… Then travel back to the 1920s and find a starving artist. Then pitch him 45 bucks for some art. Easy! 45 bucks to them is like 800 of our today dollars.

            Sarcasm aside- it seems people really are disconnected on how much a commission or art costs. Sure you can buy prints reasonably priced but any commission that isn’t a speedy doodle is going to clock in a helluva lot higher.

        • MagnyusG@lemmy.worldEnglish
          141·
          12 hours ago

          For a single piece sure.

          I presume the idea here is that you have access to their full library. Personally, I fail to see why I would change my wallpaper enough to warrant even a free app to change it, let alone 50 bucks.

        • yggstyle@lemmy.worldEnglish
          71·
          11 hours ago

          If you know an artist doing commissions that cheap they are depressed, desperate, or want to fuck you.

          • TheDarksteel94English
            22·
            10 hours ago

            Could just commission someone on Fiverr for an original artwork

            • yggstyle@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              10 hours ago

              One piece digitally drawn in an hour or two maybe. Otherwise it is likely premade, generated, or not their source. Yeah- if you are talking backgrounds for a phone they could be more abstract or start with a base but for 45 bucks? That buys you an hour or two of that artists time- three if they like the idea or you.

      • Deceptichum@quokk.auEnglish
        42·
        10 hours ago

        I’m an artist who has uploaded many of my works to wallhaven entirely for free online, alongside the games I put out and any other creative venture I’ve pursued over the years.

        That part is problematic not relevant.