From smart TVs to gaming platforms to that weird microwave phase, Amazon loves to make its own version of stuff that already exists. That's not the case with robot vacuums, apparently, because Amazon is acquiring iRobot.
Amazon and Roomba under the same digital roof could impact consumers in a few ways, both good and bad. Here's what the merger could mean for you:
More frequent deals, or cheaper Roombas altogether
Right now, Roombas aren't exactly considered a bang for your buck. Competitors like Roborock and Ecovacs offer features past vacuuming itself like mopping, LiDAR mapping, and automatic emptying at much lower price points than the closest iRobot counterparts.
But being subsidized by one of the most loaded companies in the world(opens in a new tab) has its financial perks. With Amazon fronting even some of the bill for iRobot to design, test, and manufacture new vacuums — as well as dabble with pricey, cutting-edge tech — we could see the Roomba line becoming more affordable in general.
Roombas also don't see super frequent or heavy discounts outside of major shopping holidays like Black Friday or Prime Day. That could change soon. If Amazon holds sales on its newly-acquired robot vacuums as often as it does on its own devices (for reasons from Valentine's Day to back to school season), finding a serious deal on a Roomba won't be hard.
Better integration for Alexa-heavy households
Roombas are already compatible with Alexa. But currently, setting up voice control requires enacting the iRobot Alexa skill and linking your Amazon account in the iRobot app. (Having to click between TWO apps? Sick and twisted.)
The iRobot app will probably become obsolete post-merger, shifting control of your Roomba to the same list of devices where your Echo or Ring doorbell are. This goes past already-present Alexa commands, likely giving Roomba owners the ability to schedule cleanings or remotely start cleaning through the Alexa app and, for the Roombas that have smart mapping, the ability to edit home maps, select cleaning zones, or draw virtual boundaries right from the Alexa app.
The relationship with Amazon could also introduce some sort of Prime-aligned perk for Roomba maintenance, like discounted replacement parts or automatic refelling of auto-empty bags.
On the flip side, as iRobot adds more and more to the list of things a Roomba can do, Amazon could introduce subscriptions to take advantage of those premium features. It has "buying a Ring doorbell just to realize that you have to pay a separate monthly fee to watch any past recordings" energy.
Amazon could get access to maps of your home... or worse
People already had security concerns over the Roomba BA (Before Amazon). In 2017, the seed was planted in the consumer's mind that iRobot was collecting data about the layouts of people's homes (through maps created by the bots themselves) and worse, contemplating selling it to third party smart home product companies like Apple, Google, and you guessed it, Amazon.
So that happened.
But there are more sketchy things afoot. In 2021, one Reddit user in the /roomba discussion(opens in a new tab) questioned the reach that a Roomba' smart mapping and obstacle-sensing cameras have, only to be comforted by another user asserting that such cameras aren't the kind that take pictures or record videos.
That's still technically true for iRobot specifically, though the chances of Roombas being equipped with cameras that can record actual footage are too high for comfort. Samsung's JetBot AI+ and Ecovacs' Deebot X1 Omni are just two examples of high-end robot vacuums that do double as roving security cameras, allowing users to watch a live stream of whatever the botvac sees while it's cleaning. iRobot obviously wants to stay competitive, and with support from Amazon, that upgrade isn't an "if," but a "when."
On its face, that robot vacuum development merely seems like a win for pet parents who'd appreciate a check in that's more mobile than what a stationary pet camera can provide. But the possibility is less enticing coming from a Big Tech behemoth with a controversial security history, from footage getting into the wrong hands without the customers' consent to its own cameras and video doorbells being a target for hackers.
For now, it's just mapping data we have to worry about. Even so, there's still a certain ick factor that comes with Amazon knowing which room is which in your home, as well as the full extent of the smart home ecosystem you have going on. And remember, Alexa is always listening.
