I'm going to be controversial, but why do handset manufacturers have to update the OS at all? Apple and Microsoft don't provide new OS's for my home computer free of charge.

Apple have set the bar by providing free updates to their existing handsets (let's not forget they did at one time charge iPod touch owners) but thy also control the whole package.

With Android I truly believe that users should be free to install their own updates, rather than the obligation falling on the manufacturer / network. In this scenario users would get a vanilla flavour of Android, but manufacturers and the networks would loose their control over the UI.

Of course in the smartphone world, 24 months is a long time (maybe the difference of 3 operating systems) so a consumer purchasing a device would be worse off if they didn't receive OS upgrades during those 24 months i.e. they would have a less functional handset.

I am comfortable at rooting and upgrading, but I also know plenty of people who never upgrade windows - they buy a new PC to do that, so why then are we suggesting that manufacturers should be obligated to provide updates if their hardware supports it? I don't believe average people are looking for their mobile to be able to run ICS.