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After being much criticised for its slow updates for its 2010 models, Sony Ericsson has bucked up and is offering to update its Xperia phones released this year to the latest Android Gingerbread operating system from October.

This means users of Sony smartphones such as the recently-released Xperia Arc, Play and Neo will get the latest version of Android (2.3.4), though it already shipped with an earlier version of the Android Gingerbread operating system. …

At a time when smartphone makers are rolling out bigger screens, faster processors and 3D capabilities, Sony Ericsson bucked the trend when it unveiled the Xperia Ray in June 2011.

A smaller screen than most high-end rivals and a lack of a dual-core CPU, for example, surprised many phone buffs looking for a more souped up model to contest Samsung’s Galaxy SII or HTC’s Sensation.

The reason, Sony Ericsson executives told reporters from the region yesterday, was to reach out to large groups of users not served by the latest and greatest – feature phone users who desire a small, familiar device, ladies who want a more compact phone and commuters with one hand on the train’s handle bar and another on the phone. …

Last Wednesday, Sony Ericsson unveiled three new slices of Gingerbread to the Singapore media – the Xperia Play, Neo and Arc. These Android 2.3 phones are serious contenders each with unique selling points, and a sign that the company is keeping up with the competition from the likes of Samsung and LG.

Unfortunately, they seem bogged down by the TimeScape user interface, which although generally pleasing to look at, lags in responsiveness every now and then.

Xperia Arc & Neo

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