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iRobot has new Roombas, but it doesn't sound confident it'll be around to sell them

iRobot has announced updates across its lineup of robot vacuum and mops, but shared with investors that it has doubts that it will be able to stay afloat.

iRobot, the creator of the Roomba and the company that popularized robot vacuums in the first place, told investors on Wednesday that it has "substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue." The company is also adopting lidar sensors across the board, something that was missing from previous robots and should allow for better, more accurate mapping. It's possible new products help iRobot get to a better place financially — the company still makes robots we recommend, after all — but that doesn't change the fact that its facing stiff competition from companies like Roborock and Dreame, who are both getting much more adventurous with what their robot vacuums can actually do.

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