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

How Digital Service Providers Are Challenging AT&T

Eero is not alone. Luma Home Inc., Ignition Design Labs, Securifi, and Torch all offer competitive routers with features once only seen in large enterprises. “New routers are seeking to address severa...

The Internet Of How Many Things?

“Online giants have the scale and technology to take risks in new areas of innovation,” said Brett Sappington, senior research director, Parks Associates. “In some cases, these innovations are transfo...

Parks Associates: 6 Consumer Trends In On-Demand Virtual Care To Watch

IoT research firm Parks Associates has released new connected health research overview of consumer trends in on-demand virtual care, including visiting physician services and remote care. The repor...

Unlocking next-level consumer engagement and energy savings with the latest smart technology

At the beginning of 2018, Bloomberg noted that consumer demand for smart thermostats will steadily increase over the next five years, so we know the devices that have already been effective aren't goi...