Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is reportedly on track to secure unconditional antitrust approval from the European Union (EU) for its $1.4 billion acquisition of iRobot, a leading robot vacuum manufacturer, according to sources familiar with the matter as of Thursday.
In an era where antitrust scrutiny on Big Tech acquisitions has intensified globally, concerns have been raised about the aggregation of substantial data by major companies and their potential to leverage dominance across diverse markets. The European Commission, acting as the EU’s competition watchdog, had cautioned Amazon in July about the potential competition reduction in the robot vacuum cleaner sector and the reinforcement of Amazon’s dominant position as an online marketplace provider.
The European Commission, slated to make a final decision on the deal by February 14, refrained from providing comments on the matter. Amazon, at the time of this report, has not issued a response to requests for comment.
The proposed acquisition, announced in August, is designed to incorporate iRobot’s Roomba robot vacuum into Amazon’s extensive lineup of smart devices. Amazon’s portfolio already includes the widely used Alexa voice assistant, smart thermostats, security devices, and wall-mounted smart displays. The deal signifies a strategic move to diversify Amazon’s offerings in the smart home technology sector.
It’s worth noting that the UK antitrust agency has already cleared the deal without conditions after conducting a preliminary review. The developments suggest that Amazon’s acquisition of iRobot is progressing smoothly, marking a significant step in the tech giant’s expansion into the burgeoning market of smart home devices.
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