Amazon to acquire maker of Roomba vacuum for roughly $1.7 billion
Amazon is acquiring iRobot for $61 a share, an all -cash deal that values the Roomba maker at $1.7 billion, the companies announced Friday. The deal will deepen Amazon’s presence in consumer robotics. Amazon made a bold bet on the space last year when it unveiled the Astro home robot, a $1,500 device that’s equipped with the company’s Alexa digital assistant and can follow consumers around their home. It’s also launched an array of smart home devices, like Ring doorbells, as well as voice-activated thermometers and microwaves. “Over many years, the iRobot team has proven its ability to reinvent how people clean with products that are incredibly practical and inventive — from cleaning when and where customers want while avoiding common obstacles in the home, to automatically emptying the collection bin,” said Dave Limp, Amazon’s hardware devices chief, in a statement. “Customers love iRobot products — and I’m excited to work with the iRobot team to invent in ways that make customers’...