Remember how we told you Skype was already working on a 3G version of its iPhone app after Apple loosened its grip on internet calling providers? Well, it appears the company may not be making such haste anymore.

We thought it was strange that Verizon Wireless would hold a joint press conference overseas to announce that it too would be allowing Skype calls over 3G. Then, when that really was the main purpose for the event, we were almost more confused. This sparked speculation and curiosity regarding whether there was more to this story. GigaOM rifled through its sources and dug up some interesting information, revealing that Skype may have entered a two to three-year exclusive partnership with Verizon Wireless for mobile calling over 3G.

This would shed a bit (read: not a lot) of light on the reasoning behind a few things that have puzzled us lately. It would make a lot more sense for Verizon and Skype to have made such a big deal about this new venture, if Verizon were the only carrier included. Also, Skype is a pretty decent-sized entity. With its resources, it could likely have released the 3G version of its iPhone app virtually hours after it was allowed. Yet, we still haven't seen an update thus far.

Verizon Wireless, like all other carriers, has definitely found itself making moves to try and thwart iPhone's dominance in (if nothing else) user mind-share over the years. Could this be another attempt to one-up the iPhone's offering with AT&T? Now, if rumors are to be believed, and Verizon is in fact due for a CDMA iPhone launch some time in the not-too-distant future, this could really get interesting.

Then again, all this could be a moot point considering Skype for Verizon phones will work a bit differently than it does on the iPhone. Verizon's Skype applications will connect calls over Verizon's 3G voice channels as opposed to data channels. With that in mind, an exclusive agreement between Skype and Verizon could have no implications whatsoever for Skype's iPhone solution, which is a true VoIP offering.