eBay Inc. today announced that the investor group led by Silver Lake, which had previously entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Skype from the company, has reached a settlement agreement with Joltid Limited and Joost N.V. that gives Skype ownership over all software previously licensed from Joltid and ends all litigation currently pending against the investor group and eBay at the closing of the acquisition.

eBay Inc. today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Skype communications unit in a deal valuing the business at $2.75 billion. The buyer, who will control an approximately 65 percent stake, is an investor group led by Silver Lake and includes Index Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz and the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) Investment Board. eBay is expected to receive approximately $1.9 billion in cash upon the completion of the sale and a note from the buyer in the principal amount of $125 million. The company will retain an approximately 35 percent equity investment in Skype. The transaction, which is not subject to a financing condition, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2009.

It comes as no surprise to me that the guru duo of Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis want Skype back.

When you first launch Skype for the iPhone, you notice it’s aptly stated splash screen, giving a familiar sight to a new interface. It gives you the impression that it is the relative of it’s much older cousin on your Mac or PC. The application’s coloration, style and navigation tell you that it’s just as intuitive as the desktop version only more portable.

The interface is complete intuitive with 5 icons, representing different sections within the application, at the bottom of the screen. It blends the familiar iPhone interface with the functionality of Skype for a truly unique experience unlike any other VOIP application for this platform.