this post was submitted on 24 Sep 2024

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Marques Brownlee says ‘I hear you’ after fans criticize his new wallpaper app (www.theverge.com)

submitted 4 days ago by AnActOfCreation@programming.dev to c/technology@lemmy.world

165 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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.

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[–] celsiustimeline@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 2 days ago

Disingenuous shill. He's been a famous youtuber for years. He knows how consumers think despite getting all of his shit sent to him for free. There's no way in hell he thought this would work out. "I hear you" Oh do you, Markass Brownlee? You heard all of the noise that people think it's bullshit that you want to sell $50/year subscriptions for jpegs? What kind of philanthropic or based follow up do you have planned to capitalize on all of this newfound SEO?

Youtubers really don't have to answer to anyone. He loses nothing by launching this app, and he gains a whole lot of new eyes and ears coming to his channel. He'll find a way to humanize himself through this and new viewers will click sub because he'll appear super down to Earth. New subs = more sponsorships.

[–] Lojcs@lemm.ee 17 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

I don't understand why the internet is unable to say "I don't like this app, so I won't pay for it" rather than "I don't like this app, so you're a bad person". Hundreds of people raging over and catastrophising something they never bought or even heard of until now.

[–] celsiustimeline@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Because it's blatant consumer exploitation. Just because the Latin phrase "caveat emptor" exists, doesn't mean that it's a challenge for every scummy youtuber to launch a shite app in order to fleece their subscribers. This is literally the free market in action. The consumers are making their voices heard. I've never understood the mentality of "don't like it, ignore it". No. It actively undermines the work other people on YT have done to legitimize the platform.

[–] Lojcs@lemm.ee 1 points 2 days ago

Who's being exploited? It's not like the app hides its true nature until you pay. People are upset at the idea of paying it something they don't want to but that's a completely imaginary scenario, those who think it's good will pay for it and those who don't won't. I don't think that justifies calling the guy names and assuming how he must've become (or has always been) a bad person.

I've no idea what you mean by legitimacy of YouTube, but if you think things like this hurt it wouldn't it help to not have a big outrage that makes it reach even more people? Let it have a quiet death and maybe the media will stop creating these weekly how-dare-you-make-a-bad-product dramas

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 175 points 4 days ago (12 children)

Apparently one of the wallpapers is just solid orange. It's called "Orange", is labeled as "abstract", and is labeled with a copyright.

It's a solid orange rectangle.

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[–] Sensitivezombie@lemmy.zip 23 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Paying for wallpapers is just not justifiable to me, especially when there are so many sources that offer high quality wallpapers for free, from apps to dedicated forums to simply online search.

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[–] Deceptichum@quokk.au 91 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (10 children)

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

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 41 points 4 days ago (17 children)

The "shares its profits with the artists" part is relevant here.

[–] JustEnoughDucks@feddit.nl 7 points 3 days ago (3 children)

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

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[–] LainTrain@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 4 days ago

This. Hell you can generate literally endless wallpapers for free.

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[–] DudeImMacGyver@sh.itjust.works 61 points 4 days ago (13 children)

Who would pay for this?

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[–] cmgvd3lw@discuss.tchncs.de 16 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

New "LOOK I AM RICH" app.

[–] YeetPics@mander.xyz 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I hear you, but I hear the money counter MORE

[–] BruceTwarzen@lemm.ee 9 points 3 days ago

I hear you, but it was worth a try.

[–] Sensitivezombie@lemmy.zip 1 points 3 days ago

Yeah, you last part us on point. This is for smaller demographic while the subscribers of his YT channel is more average tech enthusiasts.

[–] Teknikal@eviltoast.org 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Wasn't he also behind the redline icon pack (which I do actually like) but yeah subscription for something you can easily find your own images or even just ask an AI to make.

Subscriptions aren't something I'll ever buy into software wise and if they are offering an actual service it better be worth the money and give me more than an image.

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