Verizon Spies No iPhone on the Horizon

(Updates stock price)

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Verizon (VZ Quote) and Apple are still dancing around the iPhone.

On an earnings conference call, CEO Ivan Seidenberg said there was "nothing different" to talk about with regard to Apple (AAPL Quote) when asked about the possibilities of having the iPhone next year.

"The decision is in Apple's court," Seidenberg said. "We would be interested if they wanted us as a partner."

Seidenberg went on to say that Verizon has many other phones, including an expanded offering from Research In Motion (RIMM Quote), the upcoming Motorola (MOT Quote) Droid powered by Google's (GOOG Quote) Android operating system.

"We have been broadening the base of choices for our customers," says Seidenberg. "And maybe along the way, Apple will decide to jump on the bandwagon."

The Droid Wars

The comments come after Verizon reported a largely in-line third-quarter performance with wireless growth helping to offset continued deterioration in the company's old-line phone business.

Adjusted earnings, excluding one-time items, was 60 cents a share, down 9% from the 66-cent level in the year-ago quarter, but a penny better than the 59 cents analysts were looking for, according to Yahoo! Finance.

Sales for the third quarter ended last month were $27.2 billion, up 10% from the $24.7 billion last year and in line with the $27.2 billion in revenue that analysts were expecting.

In wireless, Verizon added 1.2 million new subscribers including 1 million in post-paid retail customers, which matched analysts' expectations for the quarter. The subscriber growth, while solid, showed signs of weakness in areas such as the increase in churn. The monthly subscriber defection rate rose to 1.49% from 1.33% in the year-ago period because of competition, largely from AT&T (T Quote) and the Apple iPhone.