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.
1951
Facebook's Record Profit
Facebook posted a record quarterly profit despite a drumbeat of negative headlines, prompting CEO Mark Zuckerberg to say the social-media giant has turned a corner and plans to focus this year on building new products. Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group has more.
5 min
1952
Apple Pulls FaceTime Group After Bug Let Users ...
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 Street Journal's Robert McMillan explains the awkward setback for a company that has touted its commitment to privacy.
8 min
1953
Facebook Fights Fake News With New Tools
Facebook plans to make more information available world-wide about political ads purchased on its services, expanding its effort to defend against politically motivated interference in elections from India to the European Union. The Wall Street Journal's Sam Schechner has more.
9 min
1954
Amazon Gets Exclusive Products From Big Brands
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 Annie Gasparro has more.
7 min
1955
How AI Keeps World's Largest Beer Maker Running
The world's largest beer maker is using machine learning to predict when brewery motors might malfunction. Sara Castellanos, reporter for WSJ's CIO Journal, explains how the Anheuser-Busch InBev SA plant uses wireless sensors that can detect ultrasonic sounds to keep machines running smoothly.
6 min
1956
Boeing's Autonomous Taxi Takes Flight
Boeing says its prototype for an autonomous air taxi completed a first test flight, heating up a race among aerospace companies hoping to transform urban transit. The Wall Street Journal's Andrew Tangel has more.
7 min
1957
Google Fined $57 Million Under New European Law
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 far enough getting valid user consent to gather data for targeted advertising. The Wall Street Journal's Sam Schechner has more.
5 min
1958
Can Microsoft's $500 Million Solve Seattle's Ho...
Microsoft pledged $500 million to support affordable housing in the Seattle area, an effort to address concern that technology companies' financial success has pushed less wealthy people out of their communities. The Wall Street Journal's Jay Greene has the details.
6 min
1959
Netflix Earnings: A Mixed Bag as Competition He...
Netflix continued to expand its customer base at a rapid clip in the fourth quarter thanks to strong growth overseas, but increased spending on content weighed on the streaming-video giant's profit and it forecast slower revenue growth for the current quarter. Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group has more.
6 min
1960
Motorola Razr Phone: The Next Comeback?
Motorola seeks to revive flip phone that was dethroned by the iPhone a decade ago. The Wall Steet Journal's Sarah Krouse has more.
6 min
1961
Netflix Raises Prices on All of Its Subscriptio...
Netflix has raised prices for all of its subscription plans, a move that will give the streaming-video giant more flexibility to continue its aggressive spending on content in the face of stepped-up competition from rivals. The Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint has more.
6 min
1962
Cloud Still Shines for Amazon, Microsoft
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 question.
7 min
1963
Apple: Time to Blast Through 'Walled Garden?'
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 company is ready to try something different. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims has more.
10 min
1964
CES 2019: Air Taxis, Wall TVs, 5G Hype, Walking...
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 Street Journal's Wilson Rothman and Brian Fitzgerald talk what's on the tech horizon with a recap of the world's biggest tech show-and-tell.
12 min
1965
Fake 5G? Wireless Rivals Fuel Confusion, Contro...
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 Street Journal's Drew FitzGerald talks more on a brewing controversy.
7 min
1966
AI Robots Speed Up E-Commerce in Warehouses
Companies like XPO Logistics and Rakuten are rolling out automation in warehouses to boost productivity -- increasing human-machine collaboration. The Wall Street Journal's Jennifer Smith explains how robots help speed up e-commerce.
7 min
1967
Telsa's New China Factory
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 goal to scale up production. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more.
7 min
1968
Apple: Time to Think Very Different?
Slowing iPhone sales triggered a nearly unprecedented warning from Apple about lower-than-expected revenue for its fiscal first quarter. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains why defending Apple's margins may now be coming at a significant cost to what is no longer the world's most valuable company.
6 min
1969
Roku Takes Cues From Amazon With Premium Subscr...
Beginning later this month, Roku will directly sell subscriptions to premium TV channels such as Starz, Showtime and Epix. The Wall Street Journal's Benjamin Mullin has more on how this shakes up a competitive streaming market.
6 min
1970
5G Wireless: Time to Dial Down the Hype?
The next-generation wireless standard will bring undeniable benefits, but significant business for 5G technology in 2019 isn't likely. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains.
7 min
1971
More Businesses Adopt a No-Cash Policy
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 awkward for customers who come in with just cash, says the Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley.
9 min
1972
Using Apps to Take Out a Small Business Loan
The Wall Street Journal's Peter Rudegeair says more tech companies have jumped into the banking business, enabling small businesses to take out loans through smartphone apps.
8 min
1973
Before Long, A Big EV Rollout
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. Until then, he's spray-painting his old minivan.
8 min
1974
Amazon HQ2's Big Boon to Cities
Since Amazon announced New York City and Virginia as the home of its newest headquarters, officials have boasted big benefits to local residents. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Honan talks what it means for the thousands of students with tech degrees each year in New York.
7 min
1975
Fortnite: An Unwinnable Battle at Home?
Fortnite, the last-man-standing videogame, has pushed aside other pastimes and hobbies and transformed family dynamics. The Wall Street Journal looks at how the game is not only reshaping how young people spend their time, but how they communicate.
6 min