WSJ Tech News Briefing
Episodes
Bitcoin Surges Toward $14,000
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Bitcoin rose to its highest level in about 17 months, extending its rally to nearly 60% in June so far. The Wall Street Journal's Paul Vigna has more....
Google's Rivals Are Ready to Make Their Antitrust Case
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Google's competitors are readying documents and data in anticipation of meetings with the Justice Department. The Wall Street Journal's Ryan Tracy has...
Li-Fi Makes New Waves in Aerospace Industry
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At this year's Paris Air Show, Li-Fi technology emerged as one of the top innovations in the aerospace industry. Will the next wave of high-speed inte...
Are Companies Clear on Cloud Safety?
24 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Putting data into the cloud can make it more secure but some companies have stumbled on issues ranging from execution to legal considerations. WSJ Pro...
5G Push Slowed Over Airwave Squabbles
21 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
U.S. wireless companies' limited access to extremely valuable airwaves threatens to slow down big plans to build faster 5G networks. The Wall Street J...
Will YouTube Change Kids' Content Amid FTC Probe?
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To better protect young viewers from objectionable videos, YouTube could be moving all children's content into a separate product -- the existing stan...
Snap Seeks Global Growth With Messaging Innovation
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Snap's new chief strategy officer says the company's ambitions extend beyond its core markets in the U.S. But will the clearest path to growth remain ...
Can Amazon Find a Hit in Videogame Industry?
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As Amazon lays off several dozen employees from its division that develops videogames, the Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman explains its strug...
Can Cybersecurity Take on Facial Recognition Risks?
17 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While China is using facial recognition to increase efficiency in places like airports, are global companies spending enough on cybersecurity to take ...
CES Asia 2019: Next-Generation Cars, Smart Homes, 5G
14 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
CES Asia 2019 hosted more than 550 exhibitors from dozens of countries in Shanghai to preview what's next in technology. As 5G steals the spotlight by...
Cloud Gaming Wars: Microsoft's to Lose?
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At the E3 videogame conference in Los Angeles this week, Microsoft shared several planned developments for its Xbox platform. But as more rivals enter...
Amazon Ends Restaurant Delivery in Face of Competition
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon is ending its restaurant delivery service Amazon Restaurants in the U.S., putting an end to a four-year experiment that aimed to take on Grubhu...
The FCC Struggles to Define Robocalls
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The FCC passed rules that will let phone companies automatically block more robocalls, but it still needs to define an 'auto-dialer' and how consumers...
Amazon's re:MARS: The Robots Changing the Future
10 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
re:MARS, Amazon's Las Vegas conference brought together the leading minds in artificial intelligence. Can the latest advances in AI help Amazon transf...
JPMorgan Kills New App Service for Young People
07 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
JPMorgan is scrapping an experiment to attract younger customers to a new digital-banking app a year after making it available nationwide. The Wall St...
AI, Digital Tech Give Truckers a Smoother Ride
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Trucking, logistics and supply-chain operators are bringing digital tools into the cabs of long-haul trucks. The Wall Street Journal's Angus Loten exp...
Amazon Vs. Walmart: A Battle Over Fast Shipping
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon has made more than 10 million products available for free one-day delivery to Prime members in the U.S., the latest salvo in a battle over spee...
Next Generation Network Makes First 5G Laptop
03 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At the annual Computex event in Taiwan, the world's first potential 5G laptop was unveiled by Lenovo and Qualcomm. Will multi-gigabit speeds and a muc...
Blockchain Struggles to Get Users on 'Dapps'
31 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While the creation of decentralized apps, or dapps, has been one of the most hyped developments of blockchain, the Wall Street Journal's Paul Vigna ex...
Payment Wars: Apple Pay's Biggest Rivals
30 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the age of digital transactions and mobile payments, credit card and payment companies remain a formidable challenge to new tech giants like Apple ...
Investors Hit the Brakes on Tesla Enthusiasm
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As Tesla strives to bring an affordable electric car to the mainstream, the Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins says investors may be losing confidence....
Tech's Next Hit Remains Unclear For Investors
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
How will the next wave of tech impact business and society? At the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, Sonali De Rycker, Partner at Accel, explains why t...
The Future of Connection, Isolation ... and Home Cooking
24 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
From social media's aim of connection over isolation, to why home cooking is due for a modern-day revival, the Wall Street Journal's Future of Everyth...
What a Ruling Against Qualcomm Means For Smartphones
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A judge's ruling says Qualcomm unlawfully suppressed competition in the market for cellphone chips and used its dominant position to exact excessive l...
Facial-Recognition Tech: Regulation Instead of Bans?
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The co-founder of SenseTime, a Chinese artificial-intelligence startup is under fire for the use of its facial-recognition technology in mass-surveill...
The Future of Tech's New Challenge: Bias?
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the interactions between humans and machines become more personal, companies and governments think more actively about the ethical and privacy impl...
How U.S.-China Trade War Impacts Tech Industry
20 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As a new front opens in the U.S.-China trade fight, will the prospect of an extended dispute unnerve Wall Street? And what will it all mean for the t...
Pinterest's Shares Fall; Smartphone's Focus Fails
17 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Shares of Pinterest fell 17% in extended trading after it posted a wider-than-expected loss in its first report after its market debut. Plus, a look a...
Microsoft Warns of a Monster Computer Bug
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft took the unusual step of warning that a computer bug it has now patched could be used by a cyber weapon similar to the WannaCry worm, which ...
Can Tesla Spare a Dime?
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla raised a total of $2.7 billion in convertible debt and stock earlier this month, but perhaps Investors shouldn't expect much mileage out of its ...
Supreme Court Lets Apple Apps Antitrust Case Proceed
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Supreme Court ruled consumers can proceed with a suit challenging Apple's control over the marketplace for iPhone apps, threatening the tech giant...
Is Amazon Violating Kids' Privacy With Smart Speakers?
13 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Advocacy groups say Echo Dot Kids device improperly retains conversations of users. The Wall Street Journal's Betsy Morris has more. Learn more about ...
Cybersecurity Workers Needed, No Experience Required
10 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Companies need to hire hundreds of thousands of workers to help them protect computer networks and customer data. The Wall Street Journal's Kelsey Gee...
Uber, Lyft Won't Pick Your Kids Up (But Other Car Services Will)
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Busy parents who turn to ride-hailing services to solve child-chauffeuring dilemmas may be defying company age restrictions. The Wall Street Journal's...
Can Uber Make a Profit?
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ahead of its IPO, Uber aims to dominate the world of transportation -- from food delivery to freight. However, it's still not making any money. The ...
Does Naviance Help or Hinder College Applicants?
06 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Many students applying to college use Naviance, the online tool that shows where their peers were accepted or rejected. The Wall Street Journal's Jo C...
Tech Compatibility Questions Couples Need to Answer
03 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Couples may find they often disagree when it comes to technology, i.e. what to share online or when should we unplug. Wall Street Journal contributor ...
Divorce Mediation: There's An App for That
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Parents who divorce can now use apps to help minimize discord over matters such as child-custody battles. Experts tell the Wall Street Journal's Julie...
Tesla's Toughest Task: Raising Money?
01 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla has plenty of options for raising money, but it is getting more expensive to do so, say analysts and investors. The Wall Street Journal's Sam Go...
Spotify Hits 100 Million Subscribers
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spotify narrowed its loss in the most recent quarter as the music-streaming giant invested heavily in its growing podcast business and said it now has...
Netflix Fights to Keep Its Most Watched Shows
29 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Now that NBCUniversal is launching its own streaming service, and has begun internal discussions about removing "The Office" from Netflix when the con...
WhatsApp Users Spread Rumors in World's Biggest Democracy
26 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With false misinformation from social media posts heavily on the rise in India, a look at how the WhatsApp messaging app is undermining efforts to con...
Uber, Lyft Commit to Safety
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As ride-share companies reassess safety measures, Lyft and Uber share new plans to enhance their features, each releasing a set of initiatives to make...
Top U.S. Law Schools Now Teaching AI Courses
24 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Columbia, Harvard and Stanford are among the universities that have introduced new artificial intelligence courses on topics ranging from algorithmic ...
Uber, Lyft Customers May Soon Pay More for Rides
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Uber and Lyft are going public and the ride-hailing companies' IPOs could lead to higher fares for riders. The Wall Street Journal's Eliot Brown says ...
GDPR One Year Later: Can EU Enforce Digital-Privacy?
22 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A year after the EU passed its sweeping digital-privacy law, countries aren't hitting offenders with fines at anywhere near the levels that people fea...
Pinterest, Zoom Shares Soar in Trading Debuts
19 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The performance of Pinterest and Zoom in public markets is predicted to set the stage for the IPO market in 2019. The Wall Street Journal's Maureen F...
Walmart, Robots, and AI: The Future of the Workforce?
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Walmart's recent move to put 1,500 robots has reignited the debate over the impact of automation on U.S. jobs. Softbank Robotics believes AI can help...
Microsoft's New Xbox One S: No Videogame Discs?
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft is planning to sell an Xbox videogame machine that doesn't use discs or cartridges, a first for a major console maker. The Wall Street Journ...
Will Tesla Keep Chasing the Mainstream Dream?
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With Tesla halting online sales of its $35,000 version of the Model 3 sedan last week, some question whether the ambition to turn itself into a domina...
Scientific First: A Black Hole Image
15 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An intensely dense hole, 6.5 billion times as massive as the sun, is located at the center of a massive galaxy 55 million light years from Earth. Kno...
Robocalls: Impossible to Stop?
12 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For most Americans, robocalls are the bane of modern existence. But so far, lawmakers have had a hard time making them stop. The Wall Street Journal's...
Social Robots: The New Face of AI
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Furhat Robotics has blended robotics, AI and voice technology to make humans more comfortable with talking to chatbots. WSJ Pro Artificial Intelligenc...
Using AI to Fix Everyday Business Problems
10 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Companies are looking to deploy artificial intelligence to tackle everyday business problems, and need to make sure employees outside of tech hubs are...
Facebook, Google Faces Heat in New U.K. Policy
09 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
London's proposal for new social-media regulator is one of the broadest yet in a larger movement by countries to assert control over tech giants. The ...
JPMorgan Banks On AI to Boost Client Services
08 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With JPMorgan Chase pushing ahead to feed decades' worth of client data into smart tech, Manuela Veloso, its head of artificial-intelligence research,...
Tesla's Deliveries Plummet; What's Next For Model 3?
05 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla said new-vehicle deliveries in the first quarter fell 31% from the previous three months as it tries to ship its Model 3 compact car to customer...
The Amazon Echo: Your Newest Co-Parent?
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Amazon Echo may be the perfect solution to one of our biggest shortcoming as humans: parenting fails. Wall Street Journal contributor Alexandra Sa...
How Videogames Cause Your Kids' Nightly Meltdown
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As many parents know, turning off a child's gaming console in the middle of gameplay is a surefire way to trigger a tantrum. WSJ Family & Tech columni...
Move Over Lyft; Uber Paving Way for IPO
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Uber says it is on track to go public later this year, a move that could make it the biggest IPO of 2019. The Wall Street Journal's Jason Bellini has ...
Lyft Faces a Tough Road Ahead
01 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Lyft's Wall Street debut is behind us, a look at the biggest challenges the ride-hailing service will face in the next 12 months. Learn mor...
Top Wall Street Women Say Tech Can Help Close Gender Gap
29 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
At the Wall Street Journal's recent Women in Finance event in New York, top Wall Street executives discussed how tech can provide opportunities for th...
Lyft Sets High Stakes for IPO
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Lyft is expected to price its shares above the targeted range for its initial public offering, in a sign of strong investor demand ahead of the ride-h...
Nintendo to Launch Two New Switch Models
27 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Nintendo plans to launch two new versions of its Switch gaming console as early as this summer, as the company seeks to sustain sales momentum for the...
Beyond the iPhone: Apple Launches TV, Finance, News Services
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Apple launched a suite of products and services, moving to compete in new industries where many rivals are expanding their influence. The announcement...
Apple Bets on a TV and Media Future
25 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Apple became a tech giant with a smartphone that transformed technology. But as iPhone growth slows, the company is making a risky pivot to services. ...
Hey, Siri! The New AirPods Are Here
22 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Apple announced a new version of its AirPods wireless earbuds that can activate the virtual assistant Siri by voice, a feature aimed at extending the ...
Google's Stadia: One High-End Gaming Service; No Console
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Google unveiled a new service called Stadia that lets players stream videogames from the cloud without needing pricey hardware-an elusive feat that co...
Instagram Goes Amazon With New Shopping Feature
20 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To capitalize on its popularity among fashion and consumer-goods companies, Instagram is going deeper into the e-commerce business, selling products o...
Amazon's HQ2 Pullout? Bad for State, New Yorkers Say
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Two thirds of New Yorkers view Amazon's decision to scuttle a corporate headquarters in Queens as bad for the state. The Wall Street Journal's Jimmy V...
Scientists Want to Talk About Gene-Edited Babies
18 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
An international group of researchers, including some inventors of the popular gene-editing tool Crispr, called for a world-wide moratorium on editing...
Facebook Hit by Unusual Outage
15 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Computer systems at three of the world's largest technology companies went offline temporarily this week, thanks to an unusual and apparently coincide...
Spotify Says Apple Stifles Competition in EU Complaint
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Spotify has filed an antitrust complaint in Europe against Apple -- a new salvo in the broader battle over whether and how to rein in global tech gia...
1 in 4 Women Sexually Harassed at Tech Conferences
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New data from Ensono finds that 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual harassment at a tech conference. In order to address tech's diversity issue, do c...
Meal-Delivery Robots: When Will Dinner Know Where You Live?
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fast-food chains and grocery stores are teaming with big car companies to test the idea of autonomously shuttling food to customers -- but it may be a...
Huawei's Lawsuit Marks Shift to War Footing
11 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For years, Huawei Technologies bided its time as the U.S. gradually escalated its campaign to rein in the Chinese telecom giant. Now, the Chinese gian...
Amazon Rethinks Physical Retail; Shuts All U.S. Pop-Up Stores
08 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon is shutting down all 87 of its U.S. pop-up stores, ending the retailer's yearslong experiment with these small shops as the company tinkers wit...
Why Nintendo Doesn't Want Smartphone Gamers to Overspend
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Smartphone game makers working with Nintendo are finding many obstacles to scoring high revenue. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman explains...
Amazon: Now a Hot Tenant at Malls
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Brokers and landlords believe that Amazon-more so than other retailers-has the expertise to draw the right crowd of shoppers. The Wall Street Journal'...
Historic SpaceX Mission: Crew Capsule Docks With Space Station
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A new-generation SpaceX capsule autonomously docked with the international space station, in a successful test of computers and maneuvering systems de...
Tesla Shifts to Online Sales Model
04 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla said it would begin shutting stores and move to selling vehicles only over the internet, an extraordinary step aimed at cutting costs so the com...
Why It Feels Like Facebook Still Spies On You
01 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook says we're in charge of our personal data, but it remains difficult to control ad tracking. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley explains....
Apple, Facebook Fighting International Encryption Battle
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
New regulations in Australia and the U.K. are making it easier for law enforcement to pressure companies for personal data. The Wall Street Journal's ...
Walmart Joins Amazon in Digital Ad Game
27 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In an effort to compete with Amazon and expand its share of the online advertising market, Walmart wants to sell more digital and store ads based on i...
How Popular Apps Shared Data With Facebook
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal's testing of over 70 applications that handle sensitive information turned up 11 that were sending at least some data to Faceb...
How Fast 5G Mobile Internet Feels
25 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Watching videos, loading Fortnite and downloading music is about to get a lot faster as carriers race to roll out the next generation of wireless netw...
Tesla Model 3 Loses Recommended Status From Consumer Reports
22 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla's Model 3 has lost its recommended status from Consumer Reports, less than a year after the magazine awarded it the coveted designation. The Wal...
Do AirPods Make You Look Rich? (According to Memes, Yes, Likely)
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
With the help of internet memes, AirPod headphones have emerged as the expensive-yet-affordable luxury item of the moment -- showing no signs of stopp...
Amazon Still Grows Without New York HQ2
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Despite the decision to abandon its $2.5 billion plan for a New York City headquarters, Amazon still expects to bulk up its staff there, and to boost ...
Venmo Etiquette: How to Digitally Pay Your Friends For 'Stuff'
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The instantaneous nature of payment apps like Venmo has put an added pressure on asking for what you're owed, and multiplied the opportunities for mis...
Former Apple Lawyer Charged With Insider Trading
15 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The former Apple executive who enforced the company's insider-trading policies was charged with criminally violating those rules by allegedly dumping ...
AI in the Office: How Diversity Avoids Bad Algorithms, Freak Accidents
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tech companies working on artificial intelligence find that a diverse staff can help avoid biased algorithms that cause public embarrassments. The Wal...
Lyft Founders to Tighten Grip on Voting Control in IPO
13 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The founders of Lyft are preparing to take near-majority voting control of the ride-hailing company when it goes public this year, making them the lat...
SoftBank Invests $940 Million in Nuro for Driverless Deliveries
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
SoftBank Group is investing almost $1 billion in a robotic-delivery vehicle startup, a hefty cash infusion that could help accelerate the race to put ...
Sprint Accuses AT&T of False Advertising of 5G Service
11 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sprint has sued AT&T over a branding campaign that it says falsely tells customers they are receiving 5G service on their smartphones, escalating mark...
Amazon Invests in Driverless Startup Aurora
08 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon's investment in high-profile autonomous-vehicle startup Aurora starts a relationship with a company developing tech that could be a natural fit...
Tesla Cuts the Model 3 Price Again
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla cut the price of its mass-market Model 3 sedan for the second time this year, another step in Chief Executive Elon Musk's quest to drive the sti...
Snap's Revenue Jumps in 'Stable' Earnings Report
06 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Snap Inc. posted record revenue in its latest quarter and narrowed its loss considerably, as the social-media firm rode a boom in online advertising t...
Slack Follows Spotify With Nontraditional IPO
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Slack Technologies has filed paperwork for its direct listing on the stock market, setting it up to be the second major company to use the nontraditio...
Apple Sets Fix for FaceTime Bug This Week
04 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Apple apologized for a security flaw in its FaceTime video-chat system and said a software fix is coming this week, as the iPhone maker addresses an e...