Using Nexus with bad ESN for development

[BiggAW]

I am an AT&T iPhone 4S user looking for an Android phone to learn how to develop apps on, and a Sprint Nexus S with a bad ESN off of Ebay would be a good, cheap, under $100 option. I have a few questions, however. First of all, will it still get software updates without any carrier connection?

Also, what is the future of Nexus S support? Would I be better off shelling out the $400, buying an unlocked Galaxy Nexus to get the newest updates farther into the future, and gaining an unlocked phone for international travel in the process?

EDIT: I am an ex- Android user from the Galaxy S (Captivate on AT&T), and current user on the Kindle Fire, so I'm familiar with Android.

 

[hlxanthus]

Updates come from Google and can be downloaded via wifi so you are good there. Also the nexus s is very easy to root and software updates become readiably either here or on xda to push them to the phone from cwm. I would say any nexus s is a good choice for what you are paying. In another year or two you can in turn pick up a used galaxy nexus or equivelent for cheap then. I would venture to guess the nexus s will receive thre next OS at the least and the one after that, well in two years you will want a new device by then but you will likely be able to get it at the least as a custom rom ala cyanogen.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[BiggAW]

Ok thanks. That sounds good. A couple more updates would be good. The thing with loading 3rd-party ROMs is that at that point I may as well get a cheap used (or new) AT&T phone... They are also a PITA. I had fun loading them on my Captivate, but I got sick of it pretty quick, and that's how I ended up on the iPhone.