iRobot Releases Genius 4.0 Home Intelligence: Doubles the Intelligence for Roomba® i3 and i3+ Robot Vacuums and More

Rhea-AI Summary

iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) has launched the iRobot Genius 4.0 Home Intelligence software update for its Roomba and Braava jet cleaning robots. Key features include Imprint Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 and i3+ series, Siri integration, and enhanced object detection for the j7 series, now recognizing clothing and towels. The Roomba i3 and i3+ will be rebranded as i3 EVO models, priced starting at $349 and $549 respectively. The update aims to improve customization and control for users, enhancing overall cleaning experiences.

Positive

• Introduction of iRobot Genius 4.0 update enhances functionality and user experience.
• Imprint Smart Mapping allows customizable cleaning schedules and preferences.
• Siri integration expands voice command capabilities, enhancing usability.
• Reduced pricing for Roomba i3 EVO and i3+ EVO models may increase accessibility.

Negative

• Potential issues with market adoption of new features may limit user engagement.
• Dependence on software updates may not meet immediate user expectations.

Updates Include Imprint^® Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 Series, Siri Commands, Clothing & Towel Detection for Roomba j7 Series

BEDFORD, Mass., March 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in consumer robots, today announced that it has started rolling out its iRobot Genius 4.0 Home Intelligence software update to Wi-Fi connected Roomba^® robot vacuum and Braava jet^® robot mop customers. The company is on a mission to design superior cleaning experiences that go beyond just smart. iRobot Genius 4.0 is the next step in transforming the smart home into a thoughtful home.

iRobot Genius 4.0 includes updates that provide powerful new functionality, like Imprint^® Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 and i3+ customers, as well as customization and convenience features like Room-Specific Cleaning Preferences, Siri Shortcut Integration, Child & Pet Lock, and Do Not Disturb. The update also expands the list of objects the Roomba j Series can recognize and avoid to include clothing and towels.

The company also announced that the Roomba i3 and i3+ will be sold as the Roomba i3 EVO and Roomba i3+ EVO robot vacuums in the Americas moving forward. These Roomba i3 models automatically include the Imprint Smart Mapping update and are being sold at a new, lower retail price, starting at $349 USD for the Roomba i3 EVO and $549 USD for the Roomba i3+ EVO.

"The beauty of iRobot Genius is that our robots get smarter over time and continuously provide customers with new ways to clean where, when and how they want," said Keith Hartsfield, chief product officer at iRobot. "As iRobot develops new features and experiences, the updates are pushed out to customers' robots at no cost. From the day a customer welcomes a Roomba robot vacuum or Braava jet robot mop into their home, they know that they'll always benefit from new features and functionality. They are also getting a robot that works harder for them, so they don't have to. With more than 60 million personalized recommendations provided to customers to date, our robots are proven to learn, respect and work around individual schedules and needs."

The iRobot Genius 4.0 update delivers these thoughtful mapping, voice and app features across iRobot's Wi-Fi connected robot lineup:

• Tell Roomba i3 and i3+ to Clean the Rooms You Want: With double the intelligence provided by Imprint Smart Mapping, customers can now create customizable Smart Maps for their Roomba i3 and i3+ robot vacuums, enabling them to send their robot to clean specific rooms¹ via the iRobot Home app or through their preferred voice assistant. They can also now receive estimated cleaning times and create cleaning routines based on their preferred schedules, rooms and automations. This update is available to Roomba i3 and i3+ customers in the Americas and APAC now and is expected to be available in EMEA by the end of Q3 2022.

• Clean Each Room the Way You Want: Everyone's home is unique, with individual rooms varying in size, flooring, furniture and traffic level. That's why users who own Imprint Smart Mapping-capable robots² will have more control of how their robot cleans with Room-Specific Cleaning Preferences. Need your Roomba to take an extra pass in the entryway where shoes are kept but quickly clean other rooms? No problem. Looking for your Braava jet m6 to dispense more cleaning solution when tackling the kitchen, but not in the hallway? You'll be able to do that too.

• Use Siri to Clean - Everywhere: With approximately 600 supported Alexa^® and Google Assistant^® commands, robots that can be scheduled to clean specific rooms with your voice, and the only robots that can be told to clean specific areas like around the kitchen counter, iRobot is expanding its market-leading voice capabilities to include Siri. After all, you should have choices when it comes to verbally communicating with your robot, and with Siri Shortcut Integration, you'll get just that. Like existing Alexa ^® or Google Assistant ^® shortcuts in the iRobot Home App, owners of Wi-Fi connected Roomba robot vacuums and Braava jet robot mops who use an iOS device will have the option to connect their robot to Siri in the iRobot Home App. Want to vacuum your whole home? Set up your own custom phrase, and just say "Hey Siri, ask Roomba to clean everywhere."

• No More Accidental Starts: Has Fido ever accidentally started your robot? Or maybe a curious child unintentionally found the robot's "Clean" button? Problem solved with Child & Pet Lock via the iRobot Home App, an option that temporarily disables the physical "Clean" button on Wi-Fi connected Roomba and Braava jet robots.³ Once activated, the robots can only be controlled through the iRobot Home App, eliminating the need to quickly end an accidental start.

• Never Be Distracted or Woken Up: Introducing iRobot's NAP Commitment (Never Awake People or Pets). With the Do Not Disturb feature, customers can use the iRobot Home App to define windows of time in which the robot should not run, whether that be when someone is asleep or in a meeting. Do Not Disturb provides peace of mind that your robot will respect life's quiet times. This feature has been rolled out to existing customers globally.

• Less Clean-Up Before You Clean Up: Having already avoided 3 million objects in people's homes since being introduced last year, the Roomba j7 and j7+ will also be able to detect and avoid clothing and towels left on the floor, letting customers feel confident the job will get done without needing to pick them up beforehand. These objects expand the visual vocabulary of the Roomba j7 and j7+, which already recognizes and avoids shoes, socks, cords, headphones, and pet waste. iRobot will continue enabling the Roomba j7 Series to identify and avoid even more objects that might prevent mission completion over time.

Availability:

All iRobot Genius 4.0 software updates will be rolling out globally to Wi-Fi connected Roomba and Braava jet customers through the end of June 2022 with the exception of Do Not Disturb, which is now available globally, and Imprint Smart Mapping for Roomba i3 and i3+, which is now available for customers in the Americas and APAC regions – and expected to be available for customers in EMEA by the end of Q3 2022.

The Roomba i3+ EVO robot vacuum with Clean Base^® Automatic Dirt Disposal is available for purchase immediately in the U.S. and Canada starting at $549 USD on www.irobot.com and at select retailers. The Roomba i3 EVO robot vacuum can also be purchased without the Clean Base starting at $349 on www.irobot.com and at select retailers.

For more information or questions on robot software updates, please visit: https://homesupport.irobot.com/s/article/550.

For more information:

Roomba robot vacuum and Braava jet robot mop photos, videos and information can be found at: http://media.irobot.com/media-kits.

Please join iRobot on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube.

Follow iRobot CEO Colin Angle on Twitter and LinkedIn. 

About iRobot Corp.

iRobot, the leading global consumer robot company, designs and builds the world's most thoughtful robots and intelligent home innovations that make life better. iRobot created the home robot cleaning category with the introduction of its Roomba® robot vacuum in 2002. Today, iRobot is a global enterprise that has sold more than 40 million robots worldwide. iRobot's product portfolio features proprietary technologies and advanced concepts in cleaning, mapping and navigation. Leveraging this portfolio, iRobot engineers are working to build an ecosystem of robots and smart home devices to help consumers make their homes easier to maintain and healthier places to live. For more information about iRobot, please visit www.irobot.com.

For iRobot Investors

Certain statements made in this press release that are not based on historical information are forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to iRobot Corporation's expectations concerning new product availability and new product features, including features that expand product performance over time. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. iRobot undertakes no obligation to update or revise the information contained in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. For additional disclosure regarding these and other risks faced by iRobot, see the disclosure contained in our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission including, without limitation, our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Siri is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. Google Assistant is a trademark of Google LLC, and Alexa is a registered trademark of Amazon Technologies, Inc.

¹ While the Roomba i3/i3+ can now create Smart Maps, it does not support Keep Out Zones or Clean Zones.
² Imprint Smart Mapping-capable robots that support room specific cleaning preferences include the Roomba s9/s9+, Roomba j7/j7+, Roomba i7/i7+ and the Braava jet m6.
³ Child & Pet Lock is available on Roomba s9/s9+, Roomba j7/j7+ and Roomba i7/i7+ robot vacuums and the Braava jet m6 robot mop.

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SOURCE iRobot Corporation

FAQ

What new features were introduced in the iRobot Genius 4.0 update for IRBT?

The update includes Imprint Smart Mapping, Siri integration, and enhanced object detection.

When will the iRobot Genius 4.0 update be available for Roomba users?

The update is rolling out globally through June 2022.

What are the new prices for the Roomba i3 and i3+ models?

The Roomba i3 EVO starts at $349 and the i3+ EVO starts at $549.

How does Imprint Smart Mapping work for Roomba i3 series?

It allows users to create customizable Smart Maps for targeted room cleaning.

What does the Child & Pet Lock feature do in iRobot's new update?

It temporarily disables the physical 'Clean' button to prevent accidental starts.