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

2018 Market Report: Security and the Smart Home Installation Channel

More than 60% of installing dealers now report that DIY systems are biting into demand for their services, according to the fifth annual Residential Security Market Report (2018) from the research fir...

Survey Find Home Builders Embracing Whole-Home Networks as Standard Offering in MDUs

A recent survey from Parks Associates finds builders are starting to provide smart home-ready networking infrastructure in new developments as a standard offering. From the article, "Survey Find Ho...

Parks Associates: Headphones Likely to Experience Sales Spike Due to Coronavirus

A recent study by Parks Associates, a technology-based marketing and research company, finds that 44% of US broadband households own speakers, 37% own headphones bought separately from a phone or musi...

How Do Consumers Research Smart Home Gear?

Parks Associates research reveals manufacturer websites are No. 1 source for researching smart home equipment. Integrator websites are No. 2. Those are the results from new smart home research by P...