Where in the World is Ice Cream Sandwich?

Google's rollout of new Android 4.0, dubbed "Ice Cream Sandwich," has stalled, stifling its positive impact on the Android platform.

The fourth version of the Mountain View, Calif.- based company's mobile operating system made its debut on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus late last year. Critics praised the reworked platform for its tidy user interface and strong features, but manufacturers' failure to release the update for their devices has left ICS as nothing but a rumor for most Android phone owners.

Companies reassured consumers at the Mobile World Congress new handsets jogging Android four.0 are on the way, but millions of users with current devices have now been waiting months for the update. The Samsung Galaxy S2, Motorola Droid Razr and HTC Rezound, of most successful devices this past holiday season, are still operating on Android two.3 Gingerbread.

Manufacturers are putting updated release designs in motion, with most promising a launch of the OS early in the second quarter of this year. Motorola, for example, updated its schedule of devices due to receive ICS updates. However, rumors are surfacing about Google's next update to Android, and the botched launch of ICS has left a black eye on the company and its platform.