I have a hobby android app idea that basically just uses Android's sensors and logs them long term for several days (external battery). The sensors needed are in $200 phones, and I can get ones for under $100 if the screen doesnt work.
My question is, is it pretty easy to make an app that starts and loads via debugging, keeps running when disconnected and when I connect I can extract the log file, or would this so be difficult I would be ahead just to spend the extra $100?
The first barrier you may find is that you must activate the Developer Options in the settings and the USB Debugging. And when you connect to the computer, you must accept that cumputer as the Debugger. I don't know if it's possible to do it without a working screen.
As mentioned, turning on USB debugging without the screen isn't possible. You can't enable USB debugging over USB for security reasons, so your only option would be to use hardware commands to put the device in firmware download mode (presumably it will have a way to do that), then load a custom OS which allows USB debugging by default.
Personally I think that's more than $100 worth of work, so I'd just go with the working device. Then you can use it for other stuff down the line.
Alternately, you can probably get a replacement screen for not too much, and for most devices changing the screen is relatively easy. I'd look into that option as well.
App will keep running & yes you can can extract the log file when connecting again.
But the problem is in the first step. if your screen if not working, then how would you add your workstation as a trusted device in your "display not working device". I doubt if there is such way, because we need to do several things like switching on developer options, usb debugging etc.
I hope you got your answer.
