Apple reported today their Q3 earnings of over $8B, translating to an earnings per share of $1.35. Analysts had only expected earnings of $1.17 per share. Earnings might have been boosted by the increased iTunes downloads caused by the recent tragic death of pop superstar Michael Jackson. There’s also speculation about whether the iPhone 3G’s recent price drop to $99 made a difference in earnings or not. Apple shares did rise in late day trading, possibly as a result of the announcement. Despite officially returning to work after battling cancer, Steve Jobs did not do a cameo for the Apple earnings report.