WSJ Tech News Briefing
Tech News Briefing is your guide to what people in tech are talking about. Every weekday, we’ll bring you breaking tech news and scoops from the pros at the Wall Street Journal, insight into new innovations and policy debates, tips from our personal tech team, and exclusive interviews with movers and shakers in the industry.
2326
Electronic Arts, NFL Bet on Casual Esports Gamers
Electronic Arts and the National Football League are teaming up to create an annual videogame tournament aimed at a new kind of esports competitor -- the player sitting at home on the couch. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman has the details.
5 min
2327
Facial Recognition Tech: Unlocking All Devices ...
As facial-recognition tech moves to mobile devices, the Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims explains how using our faces to unlock devices could soon become routine -- not just in smartphones, but also in smart-home speakers, doorbells and locks.
5 min
2328
HTC, Facebook Slash Prices. Can VR Go Mainstrea...
With HTC dropping the price of its Vive virtual-reality headset by $200, weeks after Facebook made a similar price cut for its Oculus Rift, Heard on the Street's Dan Gallagher talks whether a lower cost is enough to attract more VR users.
4 min
2329
Ford Shifting Gears in Self-Driving Tech?
Ford's new CEO says the auto maker is poised to rethink how customers are going to want to use self-driving vehicle technology. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has the details.
6 min
2330
How Facebook Ended Internal Forum Amid Cultural...
With a new report detailing how Facebook had to shut down an internal discussion group amid accusations of racist and sexist comments last year, the Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman talks Silicon Valley's ongoing struggle with cultural diversity.
6 min
2331
Apple Goes Hollywood With $1 Billion War Chest
With Apple setting a budget of roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next year, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks its game plan for making a splash in Hollywood.
4 min
2332
Amazon Refunds Glasses Ahead of 'Great American...
As demand increases ahead of "Great American Eclipse," Amazon has taken a stand to remove special viewers with unconfirmed safety standards. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.
5 min
2333
How Facebook Gets Inside Peek at Rivals
The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman explains how Facebook uses a data-security app called Onavo to peek at its competition's user habits, and how it's been crucial to helping scope out new product categories.
6 min
2334
Facebook's 'Watch' Courts Video Makers
The Wall Street Journal's Alexandra Bruell breaks down what to expect from Facebook's new "Watch" video platform, and how the social media giant plans to court digital video makers for content.
5 min
2335
Amazon and Whole Foods: Culture Clash in the Ma...
Now that Amazon has moved to acquire Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, the e-commerce giant needs to figure out how deeply it should integrate with the grocery chain. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more.
5 min
2336
Will Netflix Feel the Heat When Disney Cuts Cord?
With Disney set to launch its own subscription streaming service -- officially pulling all future movies from Netflix -- the Wall Street Journal's Erich Schwartzel talks how cable and streaming providers are feeling the heat.
5 min
2337
The End of Typing: 'Next Billion' Users Lead th...
Tech companies like Alphabet and Apple are rethinking products amid a new wave of newcomers who avoid text and use voice activation and images to communicate instead. The Wall Street Journal's Eric Bellman talks how this emerging user base could create new winners and losers in tech.
6 min
2338
Mobile-Game Makers: Virtually Tapping on Your S...
Mobile-game makers frequently use common tactics that ping players, baiting them back in with rewards and special contests. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman explains why it's a strategy that's working.
4 min
2339
Can Next Apple Watch Break Us Free From Our iPh...
Apple plans to introduce a smartwatch this year with cellular network capability, marking the first step in liberating the device and possibly consumers from their iPhone dependency. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the details.
5 min
2340
Why Tesla's Cash Could Burn in Production 'Hell'
Tesla's version of production "hell" could mean the Silicon Valley car maker will run low on cash later this year as it starts on an ambitious plan to build its first automobile for mainstream consumers. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more.
5 min
2341
Google Co-Founder Enlisted Engineer For His Fly...
The latest in the legal fight between Uber and Alphabet over driverless-car trade secrets reveals Google co-founder Larry Page's flying-car startup enlisted star Google engineer Anthony Levandowski. The Wall Street's Jack Nicas has the details.
5 min
2342
Tesla's Rough Road to Big Profits
While Tesla shareholders are betting on a profitable future, Heard on the Street's Charley Grant breaks down the costly challenges the electric-car maker faces in the present day.
4 min
2343
Facebook's New Feature Drowns Out Fake News
With the roll out of Facebook's new "related articles" feature, the Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman talks the social media giant's latest effort to limit the damage of false news -- without having to censor any posts.
6 min
2344
Amazon's Echo Look: Can a Robot Pick Out Your O...
With Amazon's camera-equipped Echo Look touting the use of AI to evaluate which outfits look best on you, the Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler checked with fashion experts for an experiment in how robots fare in assessing fashion.
6 min
2345
Apple's Real Breakthrough Product? Services
With services like App Store, iTunes and iCloud generating more than $27.8 billion in revenue in 12-month period, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks the breakthrough success of Apple's services business.
6 min
2346
GM Hires Jeep Hackers as Detroit Takes on Silic...
Upon GM hiring the two hackers who notoriously hacked into a Jeep made by Fiat Chrysler, the Wall Street Journal's Mike Colias talks how Detroit is looking to move into a leading position in the autonomous car race.
5 min
2347
HBO Hacked: Programming Leaked in Cyberattack
HBO is the latest entertainment company to be hacked and have its proprietary information, including some of its shows, stolen and leaked online. The Wall Street Journal's Robert McMillan has the latest.
5 min
2348
Is Apple Feeling Heat From Trump to Build Facto...
Pressed by President Donald Trump, Apple suddenly faces new pressure to build factories in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the details.
5 min
2349
Tesla Model 3: The Test Drive
Upon the release of its new Model 3 sedan, Tesla showed off details of the all-electric sedan's interior for the first time, allowing a roughly 10-minute test ride around the factory. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has a first look.
6 min
2350
Are Amazon's Expansion Costs Taking a Toll?
With Amazon eking out its smallest quarterly profit in nearly two years, the Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens talks the high cost of its increasing dominance of retail.
5 min