On MKBHD’s New App
A swing-and-a-miss from MKBHD. Criticism of the app is on two separate levels, but they’re being conflated. Level 1: the app is not good. Level 2: a paid wallpaper app? — LOL, wallpapers are free on Reddit. That second form of criticism — that there shouldn’t even exist a paid wallpaper app — is annoying and depressing, and speaks to how many people do not view original art as being worth paying for. But it also speaks to the breadth of Brownlee’s audience, which I think is more tech-focused than design-focused.
What’s even more annoying and depressing is the inability to separate the appreciation of art from the act of commerce. Perhaps people didn’t expect someone reportedly already making millions to charge so much for so little. The app description mentions "teaming up with top-tier digital artists," so it’s not as if it’s even showcasing lesser-known artists who might benefit from the app's exposure and thus warrant some philanthropy. Gruber is wrong here. You can appreciate good design while also thinking £12/month is a rip-off.