When iRobot—the company that invented the Roomba—filed for bankruptcy, many observers assumed it was another case of Chinese manufacturers winning on price. This article argues that the explanation is far too simple.
Instead, it shows that iRobot’s decline was driven by two major technological inflection points that reshaped the robot vacuum industry: LiDAR-based navigation and fully automated mop-washing systems. Chinese manufacturers moved faster, iterated more aggressively, and ultimately redefined what consumers came to expect from robotic cleaning devices.
Drawing on industry perspectives and a close examination of companies such as Roborock, Narwal, and Dreame, the piece uses the robot vacuum market as a case study of a broader transformation in China’s manufacturing sector—from cost-driven production to innovation-led competition.
cwnewsroom.substack.com
Instead, it shows that iRobot’s decline was driven by two major technological inflection points that reshaped the robot vacuum industry: LiDAR-based navigation and fully automated mop-washing systems. Chinese manufacturers moved faster, iterated more aggressively, and ultimately redefined what consumers came to expect from robotic cleaning devices.
Drawing on industry perspectives and a close examination of companies such as Roborock, Narwal, and Dreame, the piece uses the robot vacuum market as a case study of a broader transformation in China’s manufacturing sector—from cost-driven production to innovation-led competition.
Not Price Alone: Two Inflection Points Behind China’s Robot Vacuum Rise Over iRobot
Liang-rong Chen
cwnewsroom.substack.com