Amazon's iRobot Roomba Acquisition Under Formal EU Investigation (theverge.com) 20
European Union regulators have opened an official investigation into Amazon's proposed $1.7 billion acquisition of iRobot, the company behind the popular Roomba lineup of robot vacuum cleaners. The Verge reports: In a press release, the European Commission said it's concerned that "the transaction would allow Amazon to restrict competition in the market for robot vacuum cleaners ('RVCs') and to strengthen its position as online marketplace provider." The European Commission is also looking at how getting access to iRobot users' data may give Amazon an advantage "in the market for online marketplace services to third-party sellers (and related advertising services) and / or other data-related markets." The European Commission will make a decision about if it will block the deal by November 15th. Amazon announced plans to acquire iRobot for $1.7 billion in August last year.
Amazon spokesperson Alexandra Miller said in a statement: "We continue to work through the process with the European Commission and are focused on addressing its questions and any identified concerns at this stage. iRobot, which faces intense competition from other vacuum cleaner suppliers, offers practical and inventive products. We believe Amazon can offer a company like iRobot the resources to accelerate innovation and invest in critical features while lowering prices for consumers."
Amazon spokesperson Alexandra Miller said in a statement: "We continue to work through the process with the European Commission and are focused on addressing its questions and any identified concerns at this stage. iRobot, which faces intense competition from other vacuum cleaner suppliers, offers practical and inventive products. We believe Amazon can offer a company like iRobot the resources to accelerate innovation and invest in critical features while lowering prices for consumers."
So many questionable things amazon is doing... (Score:2, Funny)
...and the EU is getting their painties in a bunch for the iRobot Acquisition?
The category of robot cleaners (be it vaccom, moping or windows cleaning) is besieged. I am perfectly happy with my robovacs, other people i know are very happy with eufy.
Yes, iRobot's are the most advanced ones (by a country mile), but the most expensive too. The competition is catching up fast, and are orders of magnitude cheaper...
So what if amazon buys in a company facing increasing competition? Eurpoeans would not be able to
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i suspect it's more a privacy thing. The EU probably thinks Amazon already knows more than enough about people's shopping, viewing and reading habits. Letting them buy access to data from a robotic spy wandering around peoples homes is a step too far.
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Amazon may have the ability and the incentive to foreclose iRobot's rivals by preventing them from selling RVCs on Amazon's online marketplace and/or by degrading their access to it through several strategies.
It is Amazon's strategy to increasingly control the consumer marketplace by buying key vendors and by forcing others to sell under Amazon's terms. See Corey Doctorow's summary [craphound.com] of his book on this topic, and he has several videos on youtube, here's one [youtube.com]. The idea is for Amazon to become the mandatory intermediary: vendors must sell through them to reach an audience, and customers are locked in through various anti-competitive measures an
Re:So many questionable things amazon is doing... (Score:5, Insightful)
You're looking at this from the wrong perspective. This isn't about the iRobot or their competition, but rather what makes a massive behemoth even larger and gives them even more data (including that directly from your home from a whole class of products that previously were not linked to that company).
Yes panties need to be in a bunch about this. Fuck Amazon. They don't need to own everything and know everything. And if my parents (who don't want an Alexa in their house because of Amazon, but do have an iRobot vacuum) were here they'd probably say the same thing in even less kind words.
Re:So many questionable things amazon is doing... (Score:4, Informative)
iRobot's are the most advanced ones (by a country mile)
Really? Did they finally add LIDAR to map the room and finish the job quickly, like the competition has had for a while now, or do they still go about the room randomly bumping into things, taking an hour to do a 10 minute job? And did they finally switch to Li-ion batteries instead of using crappy NiMH cells?
I haven't looked into robot vacuums recently, but when I was shopping around for one, it looked like the competition was eating iRobot's lunch.
America should block this (Score:2)
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Military stuff was spun off years ago.
My Opinion? (Score:1)
What is iRobots Roomba ESG score /s (Score:1)
Roomba: Another way for Amazon to Vacuum your Data (Score:2)
Re:Roomba: Another way for Amazon to Vacuum your D (Score:5, Informative)
Typically a robot vacuum will come with a control app for your phone - and because very few people have a static IP or know how to configure a router, this involves your vacuum establishing a connection to the manufacturer's server to register a connection, and your phone app doing the same so the two can communicate.
But they never leave it at that - pretty much any data that passes between your vacuum and your phone app gets... well... vacuumed up by the manufacturer.
If you think that's not a potential threat, keep in mind that most people will set their vacuums to run when they're not around. With your IP to give your location (takes a bit of work, but can be done), your schedule, and your floor plan (you knew that was getting uploaded too, right?), there's a lovely list of homes to break into.
Maybe nobody's doing that just yet - your average B&E is a lot lower tech - but it'll happen eventually. The fact that they're collecting all your data just to more efficiently advertise to you is a lesser concern.
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Amazon announces it is going out of business.. (Score:1)
If Amazon announced it was going out of business, the response by the EU would be an investigation into unfair business practices.
"How DARE they make such an announcement without checking with us first! We will immediately investigate this to determine the effect this may have on Amazon's vendors, product suppliers and third party marketplace sellers and hold Amazon responsible for all direct and coincidental damages this may cause. Additionally, they will be responsible for any increased costs or inconveni
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How DARE they make such an announcement without checking with us first!
Are you tring to be funny or are you actually saying you don't understand that mergers and acquisitions, AND ALSO BANKRUPSY processes are subject to regulatory oversight in nearly every country on the planet?
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Dude. It's a funny.
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Then throw a winky smiley face in. You're posting on a forum well known to be full or people who don't have even the tiniest clue how governments and businesses work ;-)
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How DARE they make such an announcement without checking with us first!
Are you tring to be funny or are you actually saying you don't understand that mergers and acquisitions, AND ALSO BANKRUPSY processes are subject to regulatory oversight in nearly every country on the planet?
Going out of business doesn't necessarily mean going bankrupt either.
It's time (Score:3)
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While I agree, it is hard to rationalize without addressing Apple... who actually isn't too powerful.