Amazon to Acquire iRobot for $1.7 Billion
Amazon.com is adding a new device to its collection of tech products with the acquisition of iRobot, which is best known for its automatic home vacuum, the Roomba. The e-commerce giant announced Friday that it had purchased the builder of consumer robots for $1.7 billion, or $61 per share. Dave Limp, senior vice president of Amazon Devices, said in a press release Amazon would be working with the iRobot team "to invest in ways that make customers' lives easier and more enjoyable."
"Over many years, the iRobot team has proven its ability to reinvent how people clean with products that are incredibly practical and inventive — from cleaning when and where customers want while avoiding common obstacles in the home, to automatically emptying the collection bin," Limp said.
Total Retail's Take: Through this acquisition, Amazon is going to get a peek into consumers' households like never before. iRobot's Roombas work in part by using sensors to map the homes they clean, according to Wired. Once the acquisition is finalized (which may not be a mere formality), Amazon will have access to all of that internal data, from floor plans to furniture swaps. This information would be valuable to Amazon as it looks to further solidify its standing as the leader in the smart home space.
Amazon's portfolio of in-home tech automation products also includes its Ring and Blink security devices. The addition of the automated vacuum gives the e-commerce retailer access not only to your front door, but your home's layout as well.
