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

13% of Broadband Households Adopt Smart Thermostats

The adoption of smart thermostats reached 13% of U.S. broadband households in 2017, according to new research. This is an increase from 11% in 2016, based on new smart energy research from Parks As...

WWE Is Laying the Smackdown on the World

The market’s enthusiasm for WWE stems largely from its lucrative TV contracts, combined with its early success in direct-to-consumer streaming TV apps. In 2014 the company made a risky move, deciding...

Partner With SVOD Providers For Younger Generation

According to Brett Sappington, Parks Associates senior director of research, and Hub Entertainment Research president Peter Fondulas at the NCTC Winter Educational Conference, written by Mike Farrell,...

75% Of Security Sales Include Smart Home Devices, Says Study

More than 90% of security dealers offer some form of interactive service and 75% of security sales overall include at least one smart home device, according to the study by Parks Associates. “The m...