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This week: a new report details what next for Apple’s 2019 AND 2020 iPhones… Plus: Apple plans Netflix-for-games subscription service (with Alex E Heath!); it’s not just you, everyone got way more spam calls in 2018; and we talk a new wireless charging brick for iPhone, a smart outlet with HomeKit support, and the super smart HomeKit thermostat you’ve never heard of, in all-new Under Review.

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Thanks to Kevin McLeod for the music you hear on today’s episode.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney

Here’s how crazy spam calls went in 2018

• A new report from call identification and blocking company HIYA shows just how bad these spam calls have gotten.
• Released today, the “State of the Phone Call” report is based on data from 11 billion calls analyzed monthly. The report includes breakdowns of the types of calls made or received, how often phone calls were answered, and the average duration.
• The biggest takeaway from the report: an out of control trend in robocalls, citing a 46% increase in 2018 for a total of 26.3 billion in the year.

Apple Is Planning 3-D Cameras for New iPhones in AR Push 

• 2020
• • Apple plans to launch iPhones with a more-powerful 3D camera. These will give a significant boost in augmented reality capability
  • Other features will include a third, more advanced camera, and a more powerful chip
• 2019
• • Gurman confirms Apple is working on updates to the XR and XS, but only the XS Max will include 3 cameras…
  • All models will include an upgraded Apple processor and use an updated Face ID sensor
• Other tidbits
• • Apple is testing USB C on iPhone, indicating they may eventually lose lightning
  • "Apple’s next operating system update, iOS 13, will include a dark mode option for easier nighttime viewing and improvements to CarPlay, the company’s in-vehicle software. There will also be iPad-specific upgrades like a new home screen, the ability to tab through multiple versions of a single app like pages in a web browser, and improve-ments to file management. The company will also integrate two new services, including a magazine subscription service and its original video content efforts, via iOS updates this year."

Apple plans Netflix-for-games subscription service

• Accordingly execrable Alex E Heath, Apple allegedly wants to tap into the booming gaming industry to boost its growing Services business. The company is reportedly planning to create a new subscription service for games
• This is Alex E Heath’s first big Apple scoop, and he he’s claiming he’s got five sources confirming this story.