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According to a report from Taiwan's Central News Agency on July 24, iRobot's popular Roomba robotic vacuums have been navigating floors for years. However, the company is now eyeing a shift in focus for these machines—away from just cleaning dust and toward gathering valuable spatial data.
This transition is highlighted by Reuters, which notes that the information collected by these robots could include details about room dimensions, furniture placement, and even more specific environmental insights. Such capabilities are seen as a crucial step forward for tech companies looking to expand the market for smart home devices, which are designed to connect and manage everything from lighting to security systems.
Currently, smart home products like thermostats, cameras, and lighting solutions are available, yet many of them struggle to fully grasp and adapt to their physical surroundings. Colin Angle, CEO of iRobot, suggests that the advanced mapping technology found in some Roomba models could revolutionize this aspect. This development aligns with iRobot's broader business strategy, which seeks to integrate cutting-edge AI into household appliances.
The potential of this new direction has caught the attention of major players in the tech industry, including Amazon, Apple, and Google. These companies are investing heavily in developing voice-activated assistants that act as central hubs for smart home ecosystems. Financial analysts at IHS Markit predict that the global market for smart home devices will surge by 60% in 2017, following a valuation of $9.8 billion in 2016.
Angle hinted that within the coming years, iRobot might strike a deal to license its mapping technology to one of these tech giants—or potentially another major player. While Amazon declined to comment on the matter, neither Apple nor Google has publicly addressed these rumors.
Investor sentiment has been strong, driving iRobot's stock price up significantly over the past year. Starting at around $35 per share, it climbed to $102 by mid-June. The company reported $660 million in revenue in 2016, with a market cap nearing $2.5 billion.
Despite this success, iRobot faces challenges. Privacy concerns remain a significant issue, as consumers worry about how their personal living spaces might be mapped and stored. Additionally, competition from lower-priced alternatives, such as Bissell's $300 SmartClean and Hoover's $270 Quest 600, could impact Roomba's popularity. These cheaper options threaten to undercut Roomba's market position, especially if they offer comparable performance at a fraction of the cost.
As the race for smarter homes intensifies, iRobot must balance innovation with affordability while addressing consumer apprehensions about data privacy. Whether it can maintain its edge in this rapidly evolving landscape remains to be seen, but the company's strategic moves suggest it is positioning itself at the forefront of the smart home revolution.