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.
2101
Apple's $300 Million Clean Energy Fund for China
Amid trade tensions, Apple is set to invest in and develop clean energy projects totaling more than 1 gigawatt of renewable energy in China. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the details.
5 min
2102
Facebook Gives 'Full Access' of Data to Researc...
Despite privacy concerns, Facebook is giving researchers "full access" to user data so it can learn about the effects of social media on democracy. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has more.
7 min
2103
Is It Smart to Install a Smart Lock?
Digital alternatives to keys have their advantages, but they're proving divisive. Joshua Fruhlinger, contributor to the Wall Street Journal's Off Duty, summarizes both sides of the debate.
9 min
2104
Can Microsoft's Surface Go Challenge Apple's iPad?
Microsoft is cutting prices on its Surface devices and introducing a $399 tablet to compete with Apple's least-expensive iPads. The Wall Street Journal's Jay Greene has the details.
5 min
2105
Voice Chat: The Future of Communication?
Tired of texting? The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce says voice chat might be the future of communication, as companies build walkie-talkie-type tools to address things people don't like about phone calls.
8 min
2106
Sonos Goes Public in New Era of Smart Speakers
Sonos reveals its plans for an initial public offering, opening its books to show a company on pace to turn a profit this fiscal year. The Wall Street Journal's Maureen Farrell has the details.
5 min
2107
Too Many Spam Calls? These Apps Help Block Them
Inundated with spam calls? Sara Clemence, former travel editor for the Wall Street Journal's Off Duty, breaks down how to stop annoying robo-callers with anti-spam apps.
8 min
2108
Facebook Probe Broadens With SEC, FBI
The SEC and FBI join the Justice Department and Federal Trade Commission in probing how the political analytics firm Cambridge Analytica purchased data on 87 million users of Facebook without their consent. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has the details.
5 min
2109
Facebook Discloses Special Access to Personal Data
Facebook disclosed it gave dozens of companies special access to user information, detailing for the first time a contrast with previous statements that it restricted data to outsiders in 2015. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has the latest.
6 min
2110
Tech's 'Dirty Secret': App Developers Sift Thro...
Software developers are scanning hundreds of millions of Gmail users who sign up for email-based services. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has the details.
9 min
2111
Sweeping Data-Privacy Bill Passes in California
California lawmakers have given consumers unprecedented protection for their data and imposed tough restrictions on the tech industry. The Wall Street Journal's Marc Vartabedian talks whether this will serve as a template for the rest of the nation.
6 min
2112
Amazon's Deep Dive Into Package Delivery
Amazon says it has to build out its own services to handle the surging number of online orders that UPS, FedEx and the Postal Service can't. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.
6 min
2113
Driverless Cars: Reshaping Urban Landscape
Self-driving cars could mean better public transit, more green space and less congestion -- but also urban sprawl and greater inequality. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins talks the challenges ahead of big cities.
9 min
2114
Shop Online? Big-Ticket Items Could Cost More Now
Savvy shoppers lose a key perk now that the Supreme Court will let states collect sales tax from all online purchases. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more.
6 min
2115
Tesla Beware? The New Wave of Luxury EVs
With luxury brands like Jaguar, Porsche, and BMW making electric plans, old school car makers are mounting a direct challenge to Tesla with their own premium EVs. The Wall Street Journal's William Boston has the details.
8 min
2116
AT&T Unveils New Video Service
AT&T's new video service, WatchTV, aims to use a "skinny bundle" of channels to recapture some of the millions of cord-cutters who dropped cable and satellite-TV. The Wall Street Journal's Drew FitzGerald has the details.
5 min
2117
Instagram's New Long-Form Video Hub
The Wall Street Journal's Benjamin Mullin talks how Instagram's new video feature positions the image-sharing social media network to compete with the likes of YouTube and Snapchat.
6 min
2118
Death of the TV Remote? What Now?
With the heavy adoption of voice command, we're on the verge of smashing the TV remote's hold on us. Will anyone miss it? Off Duty Gear & Gadgets editor Matthew Kitchen talks what's coming next.
7 min
2119
Apple's Push to Upgrade 911 Infrastructure
As Apple teams up with a startup to help 911 operators locate cellphone callers, the Wall Street Journal's Sarah Krouse explains how smartphone makers are stepping in to help upgrade America's emergency response infrastructure.
6 min
2120
Supreme Court Will Hear Apple's App Appeal
The Supreme Court announced it will hear an Apple appeal challenging the propriety of a lawsuit brought by consumers who allege that the company illegally monopolized the sale of iPhone apps. The Wall Street Journal's Brent Kendall has the details.
5 min
2121
Why Big Tech Already Has the Best Show in Town
Even as AT&T buys Time Warner, tech companies have shown they don't need to own large media agencies to establish a strong presence in the business. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has more.
7 min
2122
New Apple Feature Could Hamper Access to iPhones
Apple's new security feature could make it harder for investigators to retrieve data from iPhones -- the latest twist in its long-running standoff with law-enforcement agencies over user privacy. The Wall Street Journal's Robert McMillan has more.
8 min
2123
Apple's New App-Privacy Rules Expose Old Loopholes
Apple is trying to enforce new privacy policies across its vast network of iPhone and iPad apps-and in the process is exposing longstanding gaps that left users' data vulnerable to abuse. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the details.
6 min
2124
Ford-Backed 'Argo AI' Lures Talent Away From Apple
Ford's $1 billion bet on start-up Argo AI recruited top talent for its driverless-car program with a perk it couldn't otherwise provide: an equity stake in a fast-growing company. The Wall Street Journal's Christina Rogers has the details.
7 min
2125
Soundbars to Smarten Up Your TV
TVs are thinner and more beautiful than ever, but have never had worse sound. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains how you can fix that with a single, easy upgrade to your home theater: a soundbar.
8 min