In my experience, the problem you describe is non-existent. I don't see manufacturers trying hard to get the latest and greatest onto their devices; what I see is consumers having to complain long and loud before manufacturers and carriers will upgrade to already-obsolete versions. As an owner of a device still running 2.1, I would be happy if we had this problem you're concerned about.
That's exactly what is trying to be avoided. If the latest release is available too soon, manufacturers will put it on devices and then leave people on that unfinished/unpolished version. You make it sound as if this latest version was released that your device that the manufacturer is already ignoring for upgrades would get the latest version.
I'm saying there's a snowball's chance of my device seeing Honeycomb at all; manufacturers are certainly not going to go out of their way to get a broken version.
(They might go out of their way to get a broken version for new mobile devices they're trying to bring to market. But it seems like aside from time-sensitive situations like Motorola trying to compete with the iPad2 by pushing the Xoom out the door, integrating and qualifying a new release is enough trauma that a device maker is unlikely to go to that effort with an immature product).
