UK telecommunications service provider O2 has dealt owners of a handful of Sony Ericsson Xperia smartphones a blow, announcing that it won't be providing the Xperia arc, Xperia ray, or Xperia neo with an update to Ice Cream Sandwich.

The news is likely to greatly frustrate the affected part of O2's user base, as Sony recently gave the official go-ahead for most of its 2011 Xperia line-up to get the more modern Android flavour.

Issuing the declaration, the Japanese tech giant said that the "ray, arc and neo will remain on the stable Android 2.3 Gingerbread," adding that it was blocking the port because its internal testing "didn't meeting our requirements."

Sony explained: "Unfortunately with the Xperia ray, arc and neo our testing found that the software update affected the phone's speed and performance. Because the software affects the phone's performance in this way and because you can't revert back to an earlier version of Android without having your phone completely restored, we have decided not to approve the update."

Of course, it's all well and good stressing over ICS updates for old-generation smartphones, but handset enthusiasts on the whole are more likely to be wondering when Sony's latest devices, the Xperia T, V, and J mobiles unveiled last week at IFA 2012, will be getting Jelly Bean - all three come pre-loaded with Android 4.0.

Sony's representatives at the techstravaganza hinted that it would be sooner rather than later, but they don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to delivering refreshes.

Indeed, at the same time they were making the latest Jelly Bean promise, they were also confirming that another product, the dual-screen 'clamshell' Tablet P, won't be on the receiving end of a trip to the sweet shop.

Wondering when your smartphone might get Android 4.1 Jelly Bean? Look no further than ITPP's recent breakdown.