Sony has announced that it will upgrade several Xperia smart phones to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, starting with the NFC-enabled Xperia P and continuing with the Xperia U, Xperia sola and Xperia go.

The upgrade, which will be rolled out over the next few weeks, will allow Xperia P owners to take advantage of Android 4.0′s peer-to-peer data sharing app, Android Beam. Using Beam, Xperia P owners can tap their handsets together to share photos, video clips, contact info and more over an NFC connection.

The upgrade will also give Xperia phones increased standby time, improved functionality on the lock screen, resizable widgets, improved control of mobile data consumption, and a “Recent Apps” button for a clearer overview of applications.

All Xperia P users will get a notification when the upgrade is ready, but direct availability in the phone may vary across different markets and carriers, according to Sony.