Panels App Gets a Makeover: Ads Out, Subscriptions In

Marques Brownlee, the famous tech reviewer, has been in the news lately. Not for his usual tech reviews, but for his wallpaper app, Panels. The app faced backlash for its price and privacy issues. Brownlee listened and is making changes. He's introducing a new subscription tier for just $2 a month. This lets users access high-res wallpapers without ads. Plus, the app will now ask for fewer permissions, fixing privacy concerns. He's also adding new features like artist collections. It's clear Brownlee is trying to make things right. Panels was first criticized for its high subscription cost. Brownlee admits he should have made the app free from the start. Now, users can browse wallpapers for free without seeing ads. If you want higher-res options, you can watch a short ad to unlock them. Or, you can choose the new $2/month subscription for ad-free access. Brownlee also addresses privacy concerns. The app initially asked for too many permissions. He says this was a mistake and is fixing it. The app will now only ask for permissions it truly needs. Brownlee is also making changes based on other feedback. For example, the app will now flag content created with AI. Brownlee's video shows he's listening and making changes. He cares about improving Panels. But, what do you think? Is this enough to fix the controversy? Let us know.