Amazon, the U.S. online retail giant, confirmed its plan to acquire iRobot, the company behind the Roomba line of smart robotic vacuum cleaners. The announcement came through the company’s press office and signals a strategic move into the growing home robotics space.
The transaction is valued at about $1.7 billion, with Amazon agreeing to purchase iRobot at a price of $61 per share. The deal underscores Amazon’s interest in expanding its hardware portfolio and integrating advanced cleaning robotics into its broader ecosystem of devices and services.
Following the news, iRobot’s stock traded higher, climbing close to 20 percent as markets responded to the potential ownership shift. Throughout the trading session, investors watched the stock’s performance as the deal progressed toward completion.
iRobot, founded in 1990, has built a reputation for designing, manufacturing, and selling robotics for home use. The company is especially known for the Roomba line of robotic vacuum cleaners, which helped popularize consumer robotics and establish a recognizable brand in the sector.
In a separate advanced technology development, Amazon announced a major satellite launch initiative described as the largest private space science contract to date. The plan calls for a satellite constellation in low Earth orbit, with thousands of satellites designed to deliver global internet connectivity. The deployment would occur in multiple phases, and service readiness is expected to begin as the network reaches a critical mass of satellites, enabling broader coverage and improved performance for customers around the world.
Earlier reports noted that Amazon paused certain shipments to Russia, reflecting ongoing shifts in global logistics and regional strategy as the company navigates international markets and regulatory considerations.