It looks like you may soon have an Amazon-branded vacuum running around your home. You may already have one, in fact (at least, as soon as the acquisition goes through). Amazon has made a deal with iRobot to purchase the company and add it to its long list of brands.
iRobot is best known for its Roomba robot vacuum line or products. The first-ever model released into the world back in 2002, which feels like centuries ago. This wasn’t the beginning for the company, though. iRobot has been in business since 1990, where it originally manufacturer robots for exploration (both land and space), security (sniffing out things like terrorists or underwater mines). It wasn’t until twelves years later that the company would roll into the consumer market.
Now, the company has a number of consumer products. Including multiple robot vacuum models, robot mops, and air purifiers. Apparently, sales in numbers (via consumer products) eventually outweighed the profits from government, science, and defense contracts.
Amazon will be acquiring iRobot for a whopping $1.7 billion. the companies agreed that iRobot will keep its current CEO (Colin Angle) for the time being. There is no word on if Amazon plans on rolling the products into another line in the future. For now, it seems iRobot and Roomba will continue to be noticable terms for future shoppers looking to buy into a new robot.
