Amazon walks away from $1.7B Roomba maker acquisition

After 18 months of negotiations, Amazon's much-discussed plan to acquire iRobot has hit a stalemate. While initially anticipated to receive a typical regulatory examination, none foresaw the level of opposition that ultimately led to the deal's cancellation.

• EU's Regulatory Hurdle: The deal, which had already been cleared by several international entities including the U.K., foundered on the European Union's rigorous stance against perceived anti-competitive mergers and acquisitions. The EU's stringent measures served as the death knell for this corporate tie-up.

• iRobot's Organizational Shift: Concurrently, iRobot declared the downsizing of its workforce by 350 positions, a cutback affecting nearly a third of its staff, in addition to the stepping down of Colin Angle, its longstanding CEO.

• Competitive Concerns: At the heart of the EU's hesitations were fears that Amazon's acquisition could unfairly disadvantage competitors in the robot vacuum market. Potential tactics like delisting competitors or manipulating visibility on Amazon's platform could lead to less competition and innovation, higher prices, and lower quality for consumers.

As iRobot looks beyond the broken Amazon deal, the home robotics industry still harbors the potential for growth and breakthroughs. With the robotics expertise in Boston and a legacy of innovation, iRobot, alongside emerging robotics startups, will undoubtedly continue to shape the future of domestic automation.