Amazon buys iRobot for $1.7 billion

Amazon announced Friday, August 5, 2022, that it has reached an agreement to buy robot vacuum cleaner manufacturer iRobot for $1.7 billion. The iRobot company is best known for the worldwide sales of its robots and in particular the Roomba model.

It states in a press release published online on August 5, 2022 that: the giant Amazon said it had signed an agreement to buy iRobot, a well-known manufacturer of robotic vacuum cleaners from the Roomba range. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.7 billion and Amazon will acquire iRobot for $61 per share. “We know that saving time is important and that chores take up valuable time that could be put to better use by customers,” said Dave Limp, senior vice president of Amazon Devices. “For many years, the iRobot team has proven its ability to reinvent the way people clean with practical and inventive products.

Customers love iRobot products, and I’m excited to work with the iRobot team to find ways to make customers’ lives easier and more enjoyable.” For his part, Colin Angle, president and CEO of iRobot, also welcomed this acquisition of the e-commerce giant. “Since iRobot’s inception, our team has been on a mission to create innovative and practical products that make customers’ lives easier, leading to inventions like the Roomba. I am very excited to be part of Amazon and see what we can build together for our customers in the coming years”. And at the end of the deal between Amazon and iRobot, Colin Angle will remain CEO of iRobot.

iRobot, the world leader in robotic vacuum cleaners

iRobot is a global consumer robot company that makes smart robot vacuum cleaners. The company launched the first Roomba robot vacuum cleaner in 2002. Twenty years later, iRobot has become the global leader, selling millions of robots worldwide. With this new acquisition, Amazon is clearly showing its intentions to want to have a stranglehold on the modern smart home. But that, of course, will lead to even more questions around privacy and Amazon’s control of the smart home market. Now Roomba, the Alexa assistant, Ring doorbells, and other Amazon connected objects can give the US company an incredible amount of personal data.