WSJ Tech News Briefing

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...

New York Insurers Can Use Algorithms to Set Rates

01 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

New York State will allow life insurers to use algorithms to comb through data to determine a customer's risk. Wall Street Journal reporter Leslie Sci...

Facebook's Record Profit

31 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook posted a record quarterly profit despite a drumbeat of negative headlines, prompting CEO Mark Zuckerberg to say the social-media giant has tu...

Apple Pulls FaceTime Group After Bug Let Users Eavesdrop

30 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Apple scrambled to fix a bug in its FaceTime video-chat system that lets callers eavesdrop on users of iPhones, iPads and Macs. The Wall S...

Facebook Fights Fake News With New Tools

29 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Facebook plans to make more information available world-wide about political ads purchased on its services, expanding its effort to defend against pol...

Amazon Gets Exclusive Products From Big Brands

28 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

To build a big line of exclusive products on its site, Amazon is pushing other brand manufacturers to do most of the work. The Wall Street Journal's A...

How AI Keeps World's Largest Beer Maker Running

25 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The world's largest beer maker is using machine learning to predict when brewery motors might malfunction. Sara Castellanos, reporter for WSJ's CIO Jo...

Boeing's Autonomous Taxi Takes Flight

24 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Boeing says its prototype for an autonomous air taxi completed a first test flight, heating up a race among aerospace companies hoping to transform ur...

Google Fined $57 Million Under New European Law

23 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A French regulator fined Google $56.8 million-the biggest penalty so far under a new European privacy law-alleging the search-engine giant didn't go f...

Can Microsoft's $500 Million Solve Seattle's Housing Issue?

22 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Microsoft pledged $500 million to support affordable housing in the Seattle area, an effort to address concern that technology companies' financial su...

Netflix Earnings: A Mixed Bag as Competition Heats Up

18 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix continued to expand its customer base at a rapid clip in the fourth quarter thanks to strong growth overseas, but increased spending on conten...

Motorola Razr Phone: The Next Comeback?

17 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Motorola seeks to revive flip phone that was dethroned by the iPhone a decade ago. The Wall Steet Journal's Sarah Krouse has more. Learn more about ...

Netflix Raises Prices on All of Its Subscription Plans

16 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Netflix has raised prices for all of its subscription plans, a move that will give the streaming-video giant more flexibility to continue its aggressi...

Cloud Still Shines for Amazon, Microsoft

15 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Can Amazon and Microsoft keep their cloud businesses growing strong? The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has more on the new $1.6 trillion questio...

Apple: Time to Blast Through 'Walled Garden?'

14 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

For years, Apple's software and services were only available on its hardware. At this year's CES tech show in Las Vegas, it's become apparent that the...

CES 2019: Air Taxis, Wall TVs, 5G Hype, Walking Cars

11 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

At the annual CES convention, companies showcase their most ambitious projects and hint at what's in store for the future of technology. The Wall Stre...

Fake 5G? Wireless Rivals Fuel Confusion, Controversy

10 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Companies like AT&T and Verizon are putting their own spin on 5G wireless standards to appear more cutting-edge. As some decry fake 5G, the Wall Stree...

AI Robots Speed Up E-Commerce in Warehouses

09 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Companies like XPO Logistics and Rakuten are rolling out automation in warehouses to boost productivity -- increasing human-machine collaboration. The...

Telsa's New China Factory

08 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Tesla started construction of its new China factory, the first wholly foreign-owned car plant in the country and crucial to the electric-auto maker's ...

Apple: Time to Think Very Different?

07 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Slowing iPhone sales triggered a nearly unprecedented warning from Apple about lower-than-expected revenue for its fiscal first quarter. The Wall Stre...

Roku Takes Cues From Amazon With Premium Subscriptions

04 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Beginning later this month, Roku will directly sell subscriptions to premium TV channels such as Starz, Showtime and Epix. The Wall Street Journal's B...

5G Wireless: Time to Dial Down the Hype?

03 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The next-generation wireless standard will bring undeniable benefits, but significant business for 5G technology in 2019 isn't likely. The Wall Street...

More Businesses Adopt a No-Cash Policy

02 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

A growing number of retailers have banned cash payments from their stores, only allowing payments to be made digitally or with plastic. That's made it...

Using Apps to Take Out a Small Business Loan

31 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Peter Rudegeair says more tech companies have jumped into the banking business, enabling small businesses to take out loans ...

Before Long, A Big EV Rollout

28 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Wall Street Journal's Dan Neil tells why he thinks top-notch electric vehicles will start rolling off the line over the next 18 to 36 months. Unti...

Amazon HQ2's Big Boon to Cities

27 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Since Amazon announced New York City and Virginia as the home of its newest headquarters, officials have boasted big benefits to local residents. The ...

Fortnite: An Unwinnable Battle at Home?

26 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Fortnite, the last-man-standing videogame, has pushed aside other pastimes and hobbies and transformed family dynamics. The Wall Street Journal looks ...

Will Tech Sector Finally See Growth in Wages?

24 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Harley Lippman, CEO of tech staffing company Genesis10, explains why the tech industry has yet to see gains in hourly wages that have reached the broa...

Uber Resumes Robot Car Tests in Pittsburgh After Hiatus

21 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Eight months after pulling its self-driving cars off the road following a fatal accident, Uber is putting the vehicles back into service. The Wall St...

Musk's 'Boring' Tunnel to Save Your 'Soul' From Traffic

20 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In front of hundreds of supporters, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk showcased his grand vision for alleviating city traffic with a network of tunnels that...

Apple's Sales Go Flat in World's Largest Untapped Market

19 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Global smartphone sales are flattening, which is why big tech companies are looking to India and its millions of consumers for growth. For Apple, that...

Amazon's New Changes Target Unprofitable Items

18 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In an effort to sharpen is's bottom line, Amazon is making key for changes in product packaging and is pushing big brands to change how they use its s...

Will Consumers Embrace a Fake Influencer?

17 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Lil Miquela is an online star with a big Instagram following. She's also fake, a computer-generated influencer. The Wall Street Journal's Yoree Koh sa...

Netflix, Hulu to Place Bets on Your Audience Experience

14 Dec 2018

Contributed by Lukas

With providers like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon, and more creative risks, network leaders are placing bets on how audience experience will evolve. Stinso...