Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

IRobot faces a murky future amid rising Roomba competitors

The company is still “number one,” said Elizabeth Parks, president of market research firm Parks Associates in Dallas. But it’s a shaky number one. Parks estimates that iRobot had nearly two-thirds of the robot vacuum market in 2018, but now holds only a 48 percent share. Meanwhile, rival robot makers like SharkNinja, Roborock, Eufy, and Ecovacs have been steadily chipping away.

One possible reason, according to Parks, is concern about data privacy. More advanced versions of the Roomba and other robots use visual sensors to generate detailed maps of the user’s home. This information is shared with the manufacturers to develop more advanced products, but it could also potentially be used to monitor users.

From the article, "IRobot faces a murky future amid rising Roomba competitors" by Hiawatha Bray

Previously In The News

Apple's Next? Brains Of An iPhone 6S In A 5S Body

Many consumers demanded bigger screens and the move paid off for Apple. The larger iPhone was Apple's best seller ever. But not all Apple consumers made the switch. According to research firm Pa...

TLC Presents New 4K TV With Roku OS

Last year, research firm Parks Associates said that Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku accounted 86 percent of streaming devices sold in 2014. Moreover, the firm estimates that 86 million streaming media...

Senator Warren Calls Out 21st Century Digital Robber Barons

Perhaps no other company embodies the alleged abuse more than Apple. The popular electronics producer has sought to block competition at nearly every turn and through nearly every avenue. According to...

BizTechReports latest analyst roundup features analyst perspective on 4k TV, smart watches, and IoT

Parks Associates: Smart Watch Purchases to Ramp Up Over Next 12 Months, Parks Associates Forecasts —- New research from Parks Associates indicates smart watch adoption has nearly doubled, from 4 perce...