nativescript-cli: SyntaxError: Unexpected token < in JSON at position 0

Environment Provide version numbers for the following components (information can be retrieved by running tns info in your project folder or by inspecting the package.json of the project):

from my package.json:

"dependencies": {
    "@angular/animations": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/common": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/compiler": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/core": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/forms": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "~8.2.0",
    "@angular/router": "~8.2.0",
    "@nativescript/theme": "~2.3.0",
    "nativescript-angular": "~8.21.0",
    "nativescript-ui-sidedrawer": "~8.0.0",
    "reflect-metadata": "~0.1.12",
    "rxjs": "^6.4.0",
    "tns-core-modules": "~6.5.0",
    "zone.js": "~0.9.1"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@angular/compiler-cli": "~8.2.0",
    "@nativescript/schematics": "^9.0.0",
    "@ngtools/webpack": "~8.2.0",
    "codelyzer": "~4.5.0",
    "nativescript-angular-cli": "^0.1.9",
    "nativescript-dev-webpack": "~1.5.0",
    "node-sass": "^4.7.1",
    "tslint": "~5.19.0",
    "typescript": "~3.5.3"
  },

Describe the bug Interesting issue- my project is working fine yesterday. today i run it and all of the sudden I start getting an error when connecting to my app with the nativescript playground previewer. 🤔

To Reproduce

by running tns preview

Expected behavior it should compile and work and be the beautiful former self that it was!  🙃

Sample project https://github.com/JimLynchCodes/Study-App/tree/master/study-app

Additional context any advice on why this is happening and what i should do is appreciated. thanks!

btw I have noticed that many times when testing on a physical ios device via tns preview the thing just crashes with no helpful error message in the console, no line number, etc.

here is the output i am seeing after using the playground to scan the barcode:

**Preparing project...
File change detected. Starting incremental webpack compilation...

webpack is watching the files…

Hash: cc19848af376aacf6e72
Version: webpack 4.27.1
Time: 4846ms
Built at: 08/13/2020 11:41:27 PM
                   Asset       Size   Chunks             Chunk Names
                    0.js   36.6 KiB        0  [emitted]  
                    1.js     36 KiB        1  [emitted]  
                    2.js   13.3 KiB        2  [emitted]  
                    3.js   15.7 KiB        3  [emitted]  
                    4.js   14.8 KiB        4  [emitted]  
                    5.js   11.6 KiB        5  [emitted]  
               bundle.js    506 KiB   bundle  [emitted]  bundle
 fonts/fa-brands-400.ttf    131 KiB           [emitted]  
fonts/fa-regular-400.ttf   39.1 KiB           [emitted]  
  fonts/fa-solid-900.ttf    204 KiB           [emitted]  
            package.json  112 bytes           [emitted]  
              runtime.js     73 KiB  runtime  [emitted]  runtime
               vendor.js   21.2 KiB   vendor  [emitted]  vendor
Entrypoint bundle = runtime.js vendor.js bundle.js
[../$$_lazy_route_resource lazy recursive] ../$$_lazy_route_resource lazy namespace object 160 bytes {bundle} [built]
[./app.scss] 121 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/app-routing.module.ts] 1.97 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/app.component.html] 2.29 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/app.component.ts] 1.99 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/app.module.ts] 3.51 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/data/question-bank.ts] 41.7 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./app/mock-exam/mock-exam.module.ts] 760 bytes {4} [built]
[./app/utils/question-generator/question-generator.service.ts] 3.26 KiB {bundle} [built]
[./main.ts] 1.57 KiB {bundle} [built]
[@angular/core] external "@angular/core" 42 bytes {bundle} [built]
[nativescript-angular/nativescript.module] external "nativescript-angular/nativescript.module" 42 bytes {bundle} [built]
[nativescript-angular/platform] external "nativescript-angular/platform" 42 bytes {bundle} [built]
[nativescript-ui-sidedrawer/angular] external "nativescript-ui-sidedrawer/angular" 42 bytes {bundle} [built]
[tns-core-modules/bundle-entry-points] external "tns-core-modules/bundle-entry-points" 42 bytes {bundle} [built]
    + 43 hidden modules
Webpack compilation complete. Watching for file changes.
Webpack build done!
Project successfully prepared (ios)
Start sending initial files for device hadxain’s iPhone (4DA00FAE-D90B-4D76-8093-F5AB009E6B54).
Successfully sent initial files for device hadxain’s iPhone (4DA00FAE-D90B-4D76-8093-F5AB009E6B54).
SyntaxError: Unexpected token < in JSON at position 0
    at JSON.parse (<anonymous>)
    at PreviewSdkService.<anonymous> (/Users/jlynch/.nvm/versions/node/v13.13.0/lib/node_modules/nativescript/lib/services/livesync/playground/preview-sdk-service.js:100:43)
    at Generator.next (<anonymous>)
    at fulfilled (/Users/jlynch/.nvm/versions/node/v13.13.0/lib/node_modules/nativescript/lib/services/livesync/playground/preview-sdk-service.js:4:58)
    at processTicksAndRejections (internal/process/task_queues.js:97:5)

Like I was saying earlier, I have been working on this app for a few weeks now. Everything was fine even yesterday, commited everything to version control, and now today with no git changes I am getting this error. 🤔