According to Techmeme, popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee is shutting down his wallpaper app, Panels, on December 31 of this year. Data from Appfigures reveals the app had 900,000 downloads since its launch earlier in 2024. However, user spending only reached about $95,000 in that same period. The news was highlighted by Parker Ortolani, who noted the departure of Apple’s AI chief, John Giannandrea, was framed as a bigger headline than the hire of his replacement. That new head of Apple AI is Amar Subramanya, a former VP of AI at Microsoft and a 16-year Google veteran. Apple’s press release positioned the move as strengthening its commitment to shaping the future of AI.
The Panels Experiment
So, Panels is done. 900K downloads sounds decent, right? But $95K in revenue? That’s basically nothing for an app that likely had significant development and marketing costs behind it, especially with MKBHD’s massive platform. It just goes to show how brutally tough the app economy is, even for someone with 18 million subscribers. You can have all the influence in the world, but if the product doesn’t find a sustainable model or a passionate enough user base willing to pay, it’s not going to last. This was a premium, paid-app model in a world absolutely flooded with free, high-quality wallpapers. The math just never really added up.
The Bigger Apple AI Shuffle
Now, the more interesting strategic pivot here is the Apple AI news that Techmeme bundled with this. Parker Ortolani’s observation is sharp: Apple made the departure of John Giannandrea the headline, not the hire of Amar Subramanya. That’s… telling. It feels like a narrative reset. Giannandrea, who came from Google in 2018, oversaw the Siri team during a period many consider stagnant for Apple’s AI. Bringing in a fresh exec from Microsoft’s AI division signals a clear desire to inject new energy and maybe a different philosophy. As MG Siegler and others noted, this feels like Apple is finally getting dead serious about AI competition.
What Apple Wants Now
Here’s the thing: Apple’s press release quote says they want to “shape the future of AI for users everywhere.” That’s a massive, foundational goal, not just about making Siri slightly less dumb. They didn’t hire a VP; they hired a head of all Apple AI. This is a consolidation of power and vision. The spring target for a new Siri, hinted at by Aaron P, lines up with what we expect for iOS 18. It suggests the work Subramanya will oversee is already in deep development, but his role is to steer the ship for the next five years, not just the next launch. Apple’s playing catch-up, and they’ve just changed the coach.
Influence vs. Sustainability
Both stories are ultimately about the gap between influence and sustainable success. MKBHD has immense influence, but it couldn’t save a niche paid app in a crowded market. Apple has immense market power, but its influence in the modern AI race has waned. They’re both making tough calls. One is shutting down a small project; the other is restructuring its entire leadership to chase a future they can’t afford to miss. It’s a reminder that in tech, past success guarantees nothing. You have to nail the next thing. And for Apple, that next thing is AI, and the pressure is visibly on.
