Amazon acquires Roomba maker iRobot for a billion-dollar deal
The $61 per share cash transaction brought one of the most respected and oldest companies in the business to Amazon. You can get an idea of how long iRobot has existed on the market. In 2002, they launched the Roomba, a robot vacuum cleaner, which has many models.
Amazon already stated that its products would continue to work with voice assistants from other companies despite the acquisition. They will also continue to be available at other retailers, in addition to Amazon.
Colin Angle, Chairman and CEO of iRobot released a statement this morning demonstrating that the visions of both companies seem to be aligned.
He says that Amazon shares his passion for smart innovations that empower people at home. “I can’t imagine a better place to continue our mission,” he said.
Amazon’s latest wager was Astro
Amazon has been long betting on devices for smart houses. The company also launched Astro, its latest venture in this sector at the end of 2021. This cute-looking robot wanders around the home and performs small tasks.
The robot can be controlled by voice command. It works just like an Amazon Echo Show, but on wheels. It sends alerts, makes video calls, and transports small volumes through an attached bucket.
The device is disguised as a little robot, but it has a screen that mimics real expressions. It also has a periscopic camera for monitoring.
Astro is still available to US Amazon customers by invitation during the testing phase.
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