WSJ Tech News Briefing

Mobile carriers said they would stop selling access to customers' locations to two companies-but other services rely on access to users' whereabouts to make money. Wall Street Journal reporter Sarah Krouse has more.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Facebook says a software flaw -- that it has since fixed -- affected about 14 million users over 10 days in May. The Wall Street Journal's Maria Armental has the details.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference showcased a bevy of new features. The Wall Street Journal's Wilson Rothman and Brian Fitzgerald have the recap.

After twice delaying the deadline, Tesla is pushing to meet the critical 5,000-a-week rate for its Model 3 cars. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins talks its latest goals for the first ever mainstream electric car.

Computers are taking control of driving, but humans will still be backing them for some time. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins explains how companies are developing new ways to let remote operators guide autonomous vehicles.

With news that SpaceX likely won't launch a pair of tourists to loop around the moon this year, the Wall Street Journal's Andy Pasztor talks the latest challenges disrupting Elon Musk's plans for human space exploration.

The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle explains Apple's plan for a network that would distribute ads across apps -- and the stiff competition that lies ahead from the likes of Google and Facebook.

The Wall Street Journal's Lauren Weber explains how the search for tech talent is reaching far beyond Silicon Valley -- and why companies like Siemens and Toyota are rethinking the way they compete for workers.

Companies are struggling to stay on top of security patches as they incorporate countless internet-connected devices in their networks -- and the problem is only going to get worse. The Wall Street Journal's Adam Janofsky has more.

The Wall Street Journal's Rolfe Winkler explains how Silicon Valley financiers are losing leverage to star entrepreneurs in order to cultivate "founder friendly" reputations.

Amazon said that one of its Echo home speakers mistakenly recorded a private conversation and sent it to a person in the owners' contact list -- raising questions about the security of such voice-operated devices. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.

Microsoft's executive vice president of business development, Peggy Johnson, discusses what's brewing on the artificial intelligence front for Microsoft, and hints at the next innovations on the horizon.

Uber is closing down its self-driving vehicle program in Arizona about two months after the state barred it from road-testing the tech when one of the company's robot cars struck and killed a pedestrian. The Wall Street Journal's Greg Bensinger talks what happens now.

The Wall Street Journal's Matthew Kitchen explains how a geocaching app puts a digital gloss on the adventure glorified in "The Goonies" and other films of summers past.

The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens explains why Amazon accounts are being closed without warning -- and how it happens when "you're creating a lot of headaches for Amazon."

By focusing on sleeker designs and high-performance game machines, HP managed to boost revenue and gobble market share from smaller competitors even as the PC market shrank. The Wall Street Journal's Jay Greene has the details.

This week, YouTube will relaunch YouTube Music as a music-streaming service much like Spotify or Apple Music. The Wall Street Journal's Anne Steele has the details.

The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens talks the new deals from Amazon designed to lure the estimated 40% of Whole Foods shoppers who aren't Prime members.

Peeking to see what others are doing on mobile devices is a temptation few can resist. The Wall Street Journal's Sue Shellenbarger explains the rise of "visual hackers" snooping over our shoulders.

Facebook has suspended some 200 applications for suspected misuse of users' information shared on its platform. The Wall Street Journal's Maria Armental has the latest on its investigation of outside developers.

As new details emerge about Tesla execs rejecting various tech warnings to inattentive drivers, the Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins explains the tricky task of mastering the electric car maker's driver-assistance system.

Addressing criticism that their products are too addictive, Google's new version of its Android mobile operating system would tell users how much time they've spent on various apps. The Wall Street Journal's Douglas MacMillan has more on big tech's "digital wellness" initiative.

A U.S. transportation-safety agency is examining the fiery crash of a Tesla Model S car that killed two teenagers -- marking the fourth active federal probe involving the company's vehicles. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more.

Every day, the frustrations of New York City subway riders spew out in the form of 2,500 often profanity-laced tweets directed at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The Wall Street Journal's Mike Vilensky talks how running a company's social media can be intense.

The next six months will determine whether Tesla's Model 3 can reshape the U.S. auto industry or serve merely as a flashy footnote. The Wall Street Journal's John D. Stoll has more.

Democrats on the House Intelligence Committee are preparing to release 3,000 Russia-linked Facebook ads, in what would offer the broadest picture yet of how the social network has been manipulated. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

Apple's fast-growing services business gets a big boost from the licensing fees the tech giant receives from Google. But the big growth in those fees may slow, and the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains why.

Tesla is burning through cash as it tries to meet ambitious vehicle production goals. And its CEO, Elon Musk, squared off with analysts in a conference call after Tesla's earnings report. More from the Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins.

Facebook is testing an opt-in dating service on its platform. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman says unveiling a dating feature was a surprise, given the issues Facebook faces regarding user data and privacy.

Facebook has introduced new tools aimed at better protecting users' data. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley says one tool lets users see and delete their browsing history. The other is an updated tool that allows you to download more of your information.

The popularity of big, online multiplayer games has boosted sales of headsets. One game in particular that has spurred headset demand is "Fortnite," according to the Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman.

Amazon delivered a double punch, reporting its best revenue growth in more than six years while topping $1 billion in profit for the second straight quarter. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens talks where the tech giant goes from here.

Snap is trying a reboot with its video-recording sunglasses, Spectacles, that had a splashy debut-and then fizzled-when introduced just over 18 months ago. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has more.

For its Gmail redesign, Google put tasks, calendars, notes and email on a single screen, so now you can live your whole work life in one app. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce has more.

As Google parent Alphabet posts surging profits, its strong advertising growth shines fresh light on a controversial business. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher has more.

Median pay at Amazon reveals the predominantly blue-collar nature of its workforce, which sets it apart from tech peers Facebook, Apple and Google-parent Alphabet. The Wall Street Jouranl's Theo Francis has more.

An auditor reviewing Facebook's privacy gave it a clean bill of health in a report to federal authorities last year -- well after the revelation Cambridge Analytica improperly obtained users' data. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

Flip phones and candy bars are back. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains how simple devices with low prices, long battery lives and some modern conveniences might just save you from your smartphone.

In a preview of how Facebook is changing its privacy policies, the site will start asking European users for permission to use their personal data. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman has more.

3-D printed buildings are finally happening. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims joins Annmarie Fertoli with the latest innovation in concrete jail cells, foam homeless shelters and earthquake-proof bungalows.

Tesla's public feud with the National Transportation Safety Board is highly unusual in business, but classic Elon Musk. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has the latest.

These days, online multiplayer videogames like "Fortnite" let teens and tweens socialize while playing -- slowly changing how parents perceive gaming. The Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman has more.

Too many Facebook friends might be the reason you don't like Facebook anymore. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce says the more your social networks reflect your real-life social networks, the more you'll enjoy using them -- and the safer you'll be.

The Wall Street Journal had crisis experts rate and react to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony in front of U.S. Congress this week. Deputy Bureau Chief for Management and Careers John Simons has more.

At a packed Senate hearing on the misuse of consumers' data, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg defended the social-media giant's value and apologized for the company's missteps.

Human-resource departments are becoming a bit less human as companies turn to artificial intelligence for help with hiring and firing. The Wall Street Journal's Imani Moise discusses how AI tools offer instant insights that once took months to process.

Amazon is considering whether to use Alexa as a person-to-person payments feature, a move that would push it into new competition with Venmo and big banks' payments efforts. The Wall Street Journal's AnnaMaria Andriotis has the latest.

As smartphones become more and more addictive, the Wall Street Journal's David Pierce offers a few tricks and tips to pull yourself back into the real world.

As Facebook continues to battle concerns about privacy and trust, CEO Mark Zuckerberg says during a conference call with the press that he made a "huge mistake" in not focusing more on potential abuse. The Wall Street Journal's Georgia Wells has the latest.

The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle discusses how Apple's tactic of using notifications to enroll iPhone users in Apple Pay has worked with some users but irritated others.

Spotify is the global leader in music streaming, but as the company officially goes public, the Wall Street Journal's Anne Steele rounds up its top competitors working to win over artists and listeners.

Facebook has admitted that user data on its site was mishandled. But exactly what kind of data are we talking about? The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley says Facebook users can get a lot of details by downloading their data.

Since most Windows laptops have a pricing sweet spot at about $1,000, the Wall Street Journal's David Pierce breaks down the best options from Microsoft, Dell, HP, Lenovo and Acer -- and zeroes in on his best overall pick.

Dozens of iPhone owners are taking Apple to court over the disclosure that it slowed down old phones to preserve battery life. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more on what could become one of the biggest legal challenges to the smartphone since its 2007 debut.

In many consumer-electronic gadgets, a defect is an inconvenience-but with cars, they pose a bigger risk. The Wall Street Journal's Chester Dawson has the latest from the New York Auto Show on car makers' on-going struggle to modernize vehicle controls.

Safety drivers who work for companies like Uber and Alphabet's Waymo have the critical and challenging job of backing up computers that control autonomous vehicles. The Wall Street Journal's Greg Bensinger has more.

Software robots that automate various mundane tasks are helping companies such as Ernst & Young and Walmart ramp up worker productivity. The Wall Street Journal's Sara Castellanos has more.

The incident in which an autonomous Uber car struck and killed a pedestrian has raised questions about whether self-driving vehicles are ready for the complexities of city life. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has more.

With the launch of Google News Initiative, Google says it wants to help news organizations strengthen quality journalism, develop new business models and upgrade their technology. The Wall Street Journal's Ben Mullin has the details.

A deal between mobile food-ordering company GrubHub and Yelp means more than 80,000 restaurants can now offer delivery. The Wall Street Journal's Julie Jargon talks how this could shake up the growing meal-ordering app business.

European Union officials say they will probe Facebook's handling of user data after a firm linked to the 2016 Trump campaign allegedly kept user's personal data for years despite saying it had destroyed those records. The Wall Street Journal's Natalia Drozdiak has more.

Microsoft paid $27 billion for LinkedIn. Now the site has to prove it's worth it. The Wall Street Journal's Jay Greene talks the new roll out of features aimed at drawing people regularly.

Tesla is entering one of the most critical phases in its history, a make-or-break period in which the car maker must boost production of the Model 3 or possibly face severe financial consequences. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins has the latest.

Amazon has grown into a $178 billion-a-year revenue business with online retail, a dominant cloud-services business, a grocery chain and a Hollywood studio. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens explains how it all happened.

Looking to beef up its services business, Apple says it will acquire digital-magazine-subscription service Texture, a product that bundles together some 200 subscriptions into one monthly service. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the latest.

After lagging behind other countries for years, federal regulators say commercial drones in the U.S. are expected to begin limited package deliveries within months. The Wall Street Journal's Andy Pasztor has the latest.

With Tesla CEO Elon Musk using Twitter to lobby President Donald Trump on China's trade stance, the Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins talks why current rules "make things very difficult" for big-tech automakers in the important Chinese market.

Samsung's new Galaxy S9 comes with a bunch of new features -- but does its software match up to its impressive new design? The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce has the official review.

Amazon is rolling out a discounted Prime program to Medicaid recipients -- its latest salvo in a battle with Walmart for low-income shoppers. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has the details.

Now that fashion retailer Zara has found success with its "click and collect" online strategy, it's hoping new robot technology can bring things to the next level. The Wall Street Journal's Jeannette Neumann has the latest from Madrid, Spain.

Financial technology providers are eating up Manhattan office space as they expand operations and tap in to a growing labor force. The Wall Street Journal's Keiko Morris talks what the growth of leasing in fintech signals for the growing tech sector.

Which ride should I take: Uber XL or Lyft Line? What's the best way to suggest a better route or cancel a ride? What about the best ride-sharing options? The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley has tips and explanations for improving the ride-sharing experience.