UPDATE: As of right now, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone is ranked #9 on the Top Paid Apps list on iTunes. A $29.99 app. Imagine if it had 3G?

ORIGINAL: Gizmodo has a source claiming that while AT&T may have legitimate concerns about their networks ability to handle millions of iPhone users trying to stream long-form video over 3G, they also may have far more self-serving, and perhaps anti-competitive reasons to block SlingPlayer's access:

AT&T's working on their OWN application code-named i-Verse, one that performs a similar task as SlingPlayer Mobile. AT&T's "i-Verse" app works with their U-Verse TV solution that can either load DVR'ed shows from your U-Verse recorder into your iPhone at home, or stream shows across the net over their 3G network.

Which makes little sense to us as not everyone has or wants, or even lives in an area where they can get U-verse. Never mind people in countries where AT&T doesn't exist. (Though, again, we suspect international carriers are in agreement with this type of arrangement, may have their own services in the pipe, and are gleeful that AT&T takes the heat).

As opposed to SlingBox, of course, which anyone can buy and drop into their setup regardless of service.

The whole situation make us think that maybe Jeremy was on to something when he wondered out loud about AT&T exerting too much control over the App Store...