RENEE MONTAGNE, host: NPR's business news starts with Apple still polished.</s>RENEE MONTAGNE, host: Many big tech companies are taking a bruising in this recession. Not Apple. Shoppers snapped up so many iPods, iPhones and Mac computers that sales for the most recent quarter rose nearly six percent. Profits were up two percent at the company, famous for its stylish gadgets. In the past quarter, Apple sold nearly four million iPhones around the world and 23 million iPods.
Shoppers snapped up so many iPods, iPhones and Mac computers that Apple Inc. sales for the most recent quarter rose nearly 6 percent. Profits were up 2 percent. Other consumer technology companies aren't doing so well. Sony is forecasting a record loss, Nokia is reporting a big drop in sales and IBM is cutting jobs.