What the iRobot bankruptcy means for Roomba owners
Should Roomba owners worry about their robot vacuum after iRobot's bankruptcy? Here's what the company says.
It's been a tough few years for iRobot, maker of the popular robot vacuum cleaner Roomba.
After a deal to sell the company to Amazon fell through the year before, iRobot has had trouble finding a buyer amid financial difficulties and mounting debts. Last week, iRobot announced it was filing for bankruptcy. As part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, the company said it was being taken over by iRobot's primary contract manufacturer, the China-based robotics company Picea.
But, most importantly, what does all of this mean for you, the consumer?
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Roombas are an extremely popular brand of robot vacuum cleaners. iRobot holds a commanding 42 percent market share in the U.S. for robotic vacuums. On top of that, the timing of the bankruptcy means that there's likely many brand-new Roomba owners who bought deals for themselves and gifts for others just weeks earlier on Black Friday.
According to iRobot, there's nothing for consumers to worry about.
TechRadar's Ruth Hamilton spoke with iRobot CEO Gary Cohen who assured the tech outlet that "it's business as usual" at the robot vacuum cleaner company.
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"The app is working, the warranties are going to be honored," Cohen said.
TechRadar also pressed Hamilton on the bankruptcy announcement, which shared that there would be no immediate disruption. Did this mean consumers should be worried down the road?
According to Cohen, no, there's no need for concern and Roombas were "never" going to just stop working due to the company's financial troubles.
"Now that we have a path forward, the app will continue, the products will continue...We'll have firmware updates on the products, which is one of the benefits of this category – we're constantly putting software updates in the marketplace. So those will continue," Cohen said.
Cohen also told the outlet that iRobot and Picea are already working on new products for the new year and that the transition has been smooth because the two companies were already working together.
So, Roomba fans, it seems like there's no need to worry just yet. Your robot vacuum should be good to go – at least for now.