Marques Brownlee, widely recognized as MKBHD, has announced the shutdown of his wallpaper app, Panels, which was launched just over a year ago for both iOS and Android platforms. This decision was communicated through a notice on the app’s website, accompanied by a video message in which Brownlee elaborated on the reasons behind this move.

In the statement, Brownlee mentioned that changes in the "makeup of the development team" earlier this year hindered his ability to find new collaborators who were a suitable fit for the ongoing development and maintenance of the app. Despite gaining quick attention, he felt that he could not transform Panels into the product he had originally envisioned. The evolving team dynamics, coupled with the complexity of his vision for the app, rendered the project unsustainable in its current state.

The official shutdown of Panels is scheduled for December 31, 2025. After this date, the app will be removed from both the App Store and Google Play Store, marking the conclusion of active development and distribution.

Brownlee reassured users that they will retain access to their downloaded wallpapers and purchases, as all previously acquired wallpapers will remain usable. Users will still be able to download new wallpapers until the stated shutdown date. However, in-app purchases have been halted immediately, and active subscriptions will be canceled once the app is removed from the app stores. Annual subscribers will receive full refunds, ensuring that no user incurs charges for a service that will no longer be operational.

In a positive development for both developers and fans, Brownlee confirmed that the source code for Panels will be open-sourced under the Apache 2.0 license in January 2026. This initiative allows anyone to fork, extend, or revive the project, potentially giving it a second life through community-driven development. Although Panels experienced a shorter lifespan than anticipated, its open-source future holds promise for inspiring new projects and innovative tools built upon its foundation.