Amazon buys robot vacuum cleaner manufacturer iRobot

The Roomba vacuum robots from the manufacturer iRobot have been among the absolute top sellers in their segment since their introduction in 2002. Amazon has now announced that it has completely bought out the robot vacuum manufacturer. A whopping 1.7 billion US dollars has cost the technology giant the suction division.

Amazon buys iRobot

Technology giant Amazon is still on shopping tour. After wrapping up its entry into the healthcare sector just a few days ago with the acquisition of One Medical, it is now closing its next billion-dollar deal.

According to the press release, the takeover of the venerable robot vacuum manufacturer iRobot cost Amazon around 1.7 billion US dollars – almost a bargain compared to the 3.9 billion dollars paid for One Medical.

Specifically, Amazon is paying $61 per share, but the closing of the transaction is also contingent on iRobot’s shareholder approval and regulatory approval in this case. If both give the green light, the deal is considered closed. Colin Angle, CEO of iRobot, is expected to continue in the leadership position within the company.

iRobot is diversified

“Amazon shares our passion for building meaningful innovations that encourage people to do more at home, and I can’t think of a better place for our team to continue our mission,” Angle said.

That mission first envisions a Roomba vacuuming robot with guaranteed pet feces detection, which they announced in the form of the Roomba J7+ last year. The manufacturer’s current top-of-the-line model marks the s9+ with Wi-Fi connectivity and automatic emptying.

Under the Braava and Aeris brands, however, iRobot also offers dedicated mopping robots, and air purifiers, respectively. The company, which was founded in 1990, went public in 2003 and has many other robot divisions, for example for pool and gutter cleaning or lawn mowing.

The takeover by Amazon is likely to lead to further development of the company’s own products and to smart home integration in the Amazon universe, presumably including Alexa voice control. So far, the Google Assistant has been responsible for smart operation alongside Alexa.