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

Smart Home Systems Slow To Gain a Toehold

According to a study by Parks Associates, reported by Brad Russell from an article originally appearing on IoT Agenda, “the IoT space is expanding to provide more targeted service offerings with verti...

Consumers Warm To Sharing Smart Device Data

As more devices become connected in the home, consumers may, for a price, be willing to share some of the data being generated by those devices. While that price may be financial through discounted...

19% Cancel Internet-Connected TV Services, 19% To Add Them

Nearly a fifth (19%) of U.S. households say they have canceled at least one over-the-top (OTT) Internet-based TV service within the last year, according to new research from Parks Associates. Howev...

Can YouTube TV Get You to Cut the Cord for $35 a Month?

Even so, TV-curious tech companies keep trying. In recent years, Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon.com have considered taking a crack at the market. “In the next six months, we’re going to see a major bake...