Skype withdraws Windows Mobile client

Since Verizon and Skype shook hands on what was called an "exclusive" deal, interesting things have been happening to the Skype apps available for other platforms. First, as we reported, Skype for the iPhone 3G network has been delayed due to worries about AT&T's network. Now, Skype has pulled its Skype Lite client and the Skype for Windows Mobile app. Both can no longer be downloaded and while the latter can still be used on your Windows Mobile phone, the former will stop working at the end of the year. Does it sound like a coincidence that these things happened after the deal with Big Red? Skype says that the reason for pulling the Windows Mobile service is that it does not live up to the performance of the iPhone and Symbian applications. But there is no word on when a new Windows Mobile download will be made available and if it is a matter of upgrading Skype for Windows Phone 7 coming down the road, there still would be a decent gap in time where Skype would have no presence for Microsoft's mobile OS. For the time being, those with Windows Mobile can still download Skype through this link, although there is no telling when it will be removed. So are we watching a carefully planned execution of Skype for Windows Mobile, or is it all just one of those things that happen like the number of witnesses to the JFK assassination that just happened to die young in strange and mysterious ways?

source: WMPoweruser via BGR