diff --git a/spec/www/spec/db-tx-string-test.js b/spec/www/spec/db-tx-string-test.js
index 963fa169f..defcfb2d6 100755
--- a/spec/www/spec/db-tx-string-test.js
+++ b/spec/www/spec/db-tx-string-test.js
@@ -903,14 +903,193 @@ var mytests = function() {
 
         // NOTE: the next 3 tests repeat the above for UNICODE \u2029 paragraph separator
         // on iOS/macOS/Android:
-        // - UNICODE \u2029 paragraph separator from JavaScript to native (Objective-C/Java) is working OK
-        // - UNICODE \u2029 paragraph separator from native (Objective-C/Java) to JavaScript is BROKEN
-        // For reference:
-        // - litehelpers/Cordova-sqlite-storage#147
-        // - Apache Cordova CB-9435 (issue with cordova-ios, also affects macOS)
-        // - cordova/cordova-discuss#57 (issue with cordova-android)
+        // XXX XXX
+
+        it(suiteName + "UNICODE \\u2013 xxx string length", function(done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] Certain UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+
+          // NOTE: this test verifies that the UNICODE xxx (\u2013)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK:
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-paragraph-separator-string-length.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            var text = 'Abcd\u20191234';
+            tx.executeSql("select length(?) AS stringlength", ['First\u2013Second'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).stringlength).toBe(12);
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName + 'HEX value of string with UNICODE \\u2013 xxx', function(done) {
+          // NOTE: this test verifies that the UNICODE xxx (\u2013)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK:
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-paragraph-separator-hex-value-test.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql('SELECT HEX(?) AS myresult', ['1\u2013'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              if (isWindows)
+                expect(rs.rows.item(0).myresult).toBe('31002920'); // (UTF-16le)
+              else
+                expect(rs.rows.item(0).myresult).toBe('31E28093'); // (UTF-8)
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName + ' handles UNICODE \\u2013 xxx correctly [string test]', function (done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android plugin (cordova-android 6.x BUG: cordova/cordova-discuss#57)');
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && !isAndroid && !isWP8) pending('SKIP for iOS/macOS plugin (Cordova BUG: CB-9435)');
+
+          // NOTE: since the above test shows the UNICODE xxx (\u2013)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK, it is now concluded that
+          // the failure is caused by the native JSON result encoding.
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-paragraph-separator-string-lowertext.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql("SELECT LOWER(?) AS lowertext", ['First\u2013Second'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              expect(rs).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).lowertext).toBe("first\u2013second");
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        // NOTE: the next 3 tests show that for iOS/macOS/Android:
+        // XXX XXX
+
+        it(suiteName + "UNICODE \\u2019 xxx string length", function(done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] Certain UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+
+          // NOTE: this test verifies that the UNICODE xxx (\u2019)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK:
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-line-separator-string-length.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql("select length(?) AS stringlength", ['First\u2019Second'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              expect(rs).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows.length).toBe(1);
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).stringlength).toBe(12);
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName + 'HEX value of string with UNICODE \\u2019 xxx', function(done) {
+          // NOTE: this test verifies that the UNICODE xxx (\u2019)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK:
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-line-separator-hex-value-test.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql('SELECT HEX(?) AS myresult', ['1\u2019'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              if (isWindows)
+                expect(rs.rows.item(0).myresult).toBe('31002820'); // (UTF-16le)
+              else
+                expect(rs.rows.item(0).myresult).toBe('31E28099'); // (UTF-8)
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName + ' handles UNICODE \\u2019 xxx correctly [string test]', function (done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android plugin (cordova-android 6.x BUG: cordova/cordova-discuss#57)');
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && !isAndroid && !isWP8) pending('SKIP for iOS/macOS plugin (Cordova BUG: CB-9435)');
+          //if (isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android Web SQL'); // TBD SKIP for Android Web for now
+
+          // NOTE: since the above test shows the UNICODE xxx (\u2019)
+          // is seen by the sqlite implementation OK, it is now concluded that
+          // the failure is caused by the native JSON result encoding.
+          var db = openDatabase("UNICODE-line-separator-string-lowertext.db", "1.0", "Demo", DEFAULT_SIZE);
+
+          expect(db).toBeDefined();
+
+          db.transaction(function(tx) {
+            expect(tx).toBeDefined();
+
+            tx.executeSql("SELECT LOWER(?) AS lowertext", ['First\u2019Second'], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+              expect(rs).toBeDefined();
+              expect(rs.rows.item(0).lowertext).toBe("first\u2019second");
+
+              // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+              (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+            });
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('--');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        // NOTE: the next 3 tests repeat the above for UNICODE \u2013 xxx
+        // on iOS/macOS/Android:
+        // XXX XXX
 
-        it(suiteName + "UNICODE \\u2029 paragraph separator string length", function(done) {
+        it(suiteName + "UNICODE \\u2013 xxx string length", function(done) {
           if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] Certain UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
 
           // NOTE: this test verifies that the UNICODE paragraph separator (\u2029)
diff --git a/spec/www/spec/db-tx-value-bindings-test.js b/spec/www/spec/db-tx-value-bindings-test.js
index 76315b5f5..8620259ca 100755
--- a/spec/www/spec/db-tx-value-bindings-test.js
+++ b/spec/www/spec/db-tx-value-bindings-test.js
@@ -1369,12 +1369,132 @@ var mytests = function() {
           db.transaction(function (tx) {
             tx.executeSql('DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test', [], function () {
               tx.executeSql('CREATE TABLE test (name, id)', [], function() {
-                tx.executeSql('INSERT INTO test VALUES (?, "id1")', ['hello\u2028world'], function () {
+                tx.executeSql('INSERT INTO test VALUES (?, "id1")', ['hello\u2019world'], function () {
                   tx.executeSql('SELECT name FROM test', [], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
                     var name = rs.rows.item(0).name;
 
                     expect(name.length).toBe(11);
-                    expect(name).toBe('hello\u2028world');
+                    expect(name).toBe('hello\u2019world');
+
+                    check1 = true;
+                  });
+                });
+              });
+            });
+
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('---');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+
+          }, function() {
+            expect(check1).toBe(true);
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName +
+            ' handles UNICODE \\u2013 xxx correctly in database', function (done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android plugin (cordova-android 6.x BUG: cordova/cordova-discuss#57)');
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && !isAndroid && !isWP8) pending('SKIP for iOS/macOS plugin (Cordova BUG: CB-9435)');
+
+          var db = openDatabase('UNICODE-line-separator-INSERT-test.db');
+
+          var check1 = false;
+
+          db.transaction(function (tx) {
+            tx.executeSql('DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test', [], function () {
+              tx.executeSql('CREATE TABLE test (name, id)', [], function() {
+                tx.executeSql('INSERT INTO test VALUES (?, "id1")', ['hello\u2013world'], function () {
+                  tx.executeSql('SELECT name FROM test', [], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+                    var name = rs.rows.item(0).name;
+
+                    expect(name.length).toBe(11);
+                    expect(name).toBe('hello\u2013world');
+
+                    check1 = true;
+                  });
+                });
+              });
+            });
+
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('---');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+
+          }, function() {
+            expect(check1).toBe(true);
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName +
+            ' handles UNICODE \\u2019 xxx correctly in database', function (done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android plugin (cordova-android 6.x BUG: cordova/cordova-discuss#57)');
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && !isAndroid && !isWP8) pending('SKIP for iOS/macOS plugin (Cordova BUG: CB-9435)');
+
+          var db = openDatabase('UNICODE-line-separator-INSERT-test.db');
+
+          var check1 = false;
+
+          db.transaction(function (tx) {
+            tx.executeSql('DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test', [], function () {
+              tx.executeSql('CREATE TABLE test (name, id)', [], function() {
+                tx.executeSql('INSERT INTO test VALUES (?, "id1")', ['hello\u2019world'], function () {
+                  tx.executeSql('SELECT name FROM test', [], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+                    var name = rs.rows.item(0).name;
+
+                    expect(name.length).toBe(11);
+                    expect(name).toBe('hello\u2019world');
+
+                    check1 = true;
+                  });
+                });
+              });
+            });
+
+          }, function(error) {
+            // NOT EXPECTED:
+            expect(false).toBe(true);
+            expect(error.message).toBe('---');
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+
+          }, function() {
+            expect(check1).toBe(true);
+            // Close (plugin only) & finish:
+            (isWebSql) ? done() : db.close(done, done);
+          });
+        }, MYTIMEOUT);
+
+        it(suiteName +
+            ' handles UNICODE \\u2013 xxx correctly in database', function (done) {
+          if (isWP8) pending('BROKEN on WP(8)'); // [BUG #202] UNICODE characters not working with WP(8)
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && isAndroid) pending('SKIP for Android plugin (cordova-android 6.x BUG: cordova/cordova-discuss#57)');
+          //if (!isWebSql && !isWindows && !isAndroid && !isWP8) pending('SKIP for iOS/macOS plugin (Cordova BUG: CB-9435)');
+
+          var db = openDatabase('UNICODE-line-separator-INSERT-test.db');
+
+          var check1 = false;
+
+          db.transaction(function (tx) {
+            tx.executeSql('DROP TABLE IF EXISTS test', [], function () {
+              tx.executeSql('CREATE TABLE test (name, id)', [], function() {
+                tx.executeSql('INSERT INTO test VALUES (?, "id1")', ['hello\u2013world'], function () {
+                  tx.executeSql('SELECT name FROM test', [], function (tx_ignored, rs) {
+                    var name = rs.rows.item(0).name;
+
+                    expect(name.length).toBe(11);
+                    expect(name).toBe('hello\u2013world');
 
                     check1 = true;
                   });