Exclusive interview with Steve Appleton

SALT LAKE CITY - Micron Technology announced today it would form a new standalone company to make CMOS Image Sensors. 

The announcement came during investor meetings in Salt Lake City, Utah today.

The company will place the CMOS imaging division in a separate company, which Micron Technology will continue to control. About 700 Micron employees are involved in the manufacture of CMOS sensor - based mostly in San Jose, Calif.

CMOS image sensors are commonly used as cameras in cell phone and other compact devices.

Micron said it is evaluating whether to bring a partner into the business - to take over some of the non-technical portions of the business, like dealing with cell phone makers or purchasing the physical lenses used in cameras.

CEO Steve Appleton said he is more excited about Micron's future now than in been in a long time about the future of the company. He says Micron is uniquely positioned in the industry, as one of only three companies in the world that makes both Dynamic Random Access Memory - used in traditional computers, and NAND Flash, used in smaller devices like iPods and cell phones.

NewsChannel 7 talked to Appleton today – tonight at 10 p.m. on NewsChannel 7 and KTVB.COM, Appleton will address rumors that he will step down from the company

Micron shares rose 13 cents today - up 1.86 percent.

-With NewsChannel 7's Alyson Oüten in Salt Lake City