WSJ Tech News Briefing

This week, major tech companies committed to removing tech barriers that have hindered patient and provider access to health-care data online. The Wall Street Journal's John D. McKinnon has more.

Password manager Dashlane has new tools that keep you safe online --- and free you from the relentless hassle of typing your passwords. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce explains why it makes browsing easier.

Is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos really the richest man of modern times? The answer depends on exactly how you decide to calculate wealth. The Wall Street Journal's Jo Craven McGinty explains.

The biggest breakthrough in AI, deep learning, has hit a wall, and a debate is raging about how to get to the next level. The Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims explains.

New York plans to cap ride-hailing services including Uber and Lyft, becoming the first U.S. city to take such a step. The Wall Street Journal's Paul Berger has the details.

Venmo, the popular PayPal app that lets users send money along with a message, has prompted criticism about the extent of information shared. The Wall Street Journal's Peter Rudegeair has the details.

Microsoft's cheapest Surface yet tries to be both laptop and tablet. The Wall Street Journal's David Pierce talks whether it nails either one.

As "Fortnite" becomes a social proving ground for children, the Wall Street Journal's Sarah E. Needleman explains how parents are more than willing to pay for their offspring to gain an edge.

As part of a larger trend of tech companies helping to wean users off their more-addictive products, Facebook has announced new tools that tally time spent and nudge you when it's time for a break. The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley has the details.

As Apple spends more to keep its devices competitive, the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains how the ride to a $1 trillion market-value hasn't been cheap -- and those costs are rising.

Apple delivered its best-ever revenue for the June quarter, as demand for high-price iPhones remained resilient and services soared to new records. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has more.

Walmart is exploring a subscription video-streaming service that would challenge Netflix and Amazon by offering programming that targets Middle America. The Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint has more.

Amazon's profit topped $2 billion for the first time, powered by the company's newer services businesses that are ushering the online retail giant into an era of swelling profitability. The Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens has more.

The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman explains how concerns about revenue growth, monetizing Instagram Stories and the impact of new privacy laws have hit Facebook's shares this week.

Ford is carving out its autonomous-vehicle program into a separate wholly owned company, a bid to accelerate its driverless-car efforts by attracting outside investors. The Wall Street Journal's Mike Colias has more.