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 to Get Better Indoor TV Antenna Reception

One solution has been to switch from pay TV to streaming alternatives, but in recent years those services have been getting more expensive themselves. That’s a big reason about 20 percent of U.S. hous...

Parks Associates: Most MDU decision makers plan to upgrade, replace electronic access control systems

Parks Associates' new white paper addresses the state of access control adoption, including key challenges and opportunities. Parks Associates' new white paper, Multifamily Access: Riding the New T...

The Smart Money: Technology for Independent Living

Family caregivers and older adults face numerous challenges in managing health and daily activities. Technology offers promising solutions to ease their burdens and Parks Associates’ ongoing research...

Building the Future with Smart HVAC and Plumbing Technologies

According to Parks Associates' Smart Home Dashboard research, 45% of U.S. internet households have at least one smart home device, reflecting a growing demand for intelligent, connected systems. Fr...