Investors are waiting for the global consumer electronics tradeshow CES 2017 with bated breath as Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. recently made a tantalizing revelation that its POWERbot VR7000 vacuum cleaners will be compatible with Amazon.com, Inc.’s (AMZN – Free Report) Echo. The South Korean electronics behemoth believes that Echo will lend POWERbot VR7000 an edge over its peers, helping it counter competition.
A compact speaker-like home automation device, Echo has a built-in voice recognition system that can take command from users. The Echo operating system, named Alexa, has found its way into a gamut of control home devices ranging from home security to lighting. Samsung has also announced plans to make its entire range of WiFi-enabled Powerbot vacuums compatible with Alexa.
Vacuum Cleaners with an Edge
About 28% more compact than its predecessor, POWERbot VR7000 vacuum cleaners have a unique self-cleaning brush system that reduces the chances of dust and hair getting trapped in the bristles. It can generate up to 20 watts of suction power that reduces the need for manual follow-up cleaning. Some other notable features include Visionary Mapping Plus and FullView Sensor 2.0 that will help the machine memorize the trickiest of contours in the room.
It also comes with an Intelligent Power Control feature that can optimize its suction power depending on the nature of the surface. The cleaner can also sense obstacles as small as 10mm or even lower. Like most of Samsung’s home appliances, this device can be controllable by mobile devices. Meanwhile, the Echo technology allows users to run the cleaner through voice commands.
Robotic Vacuum Cleaners Wage War
Last month Newark, CA-based robotic company Neato Robotics took the vacuum cleaner war a notch higher with the introduction of Alexa “Skill” on the Botvac Connected line of cleaners. Neato Botvac vacuum cleaners work on instructions like “Alexa, ask Neato to start cleaning” and “Alexa, ask Neato to pause cleaning.” While Samsung has revealed little about its command lineup, details on pricing and availability will be divulged at CES 2017.
While Neato Robotic’s Botvac launch stole most of the thunder from POWERbot VR7000, Samsung has iRobot Corporation (IRBT – Free Report) to fret about as its Roomba range of robotic cleaners is by far the most popular. Though the technical superiority of iRobot versus Samsung cleaners is debatable, it is safe to say that Samsung vacuum cleaners are a tad more expensive than the iRobot offerings.
Tech-savvy consumers may even argue that Roomba cleaners are more hassle free in comparison to Neato cleaners and vice versa. Although it may be impossible to pick a clear winner but the introduction of voice commands in VR7000 vacuum cleaners is sure to appeal to most buyers. Samsung believes that the new cleaners will ramp up sales by to a large extent. The news about the voice-controlled robotic cleaners has surely piqued consumer interest and we believe this is one of the many innovations that will be unveiled at the CES 2017 that starts on Jan 3, 2017.
Investors looking for key picks in the same space can consider Kimball Electronics, Inc. (KE – Free Report) and Kopin Corporation (KOPN – Free Report) . While Kimball Electronics sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Kopin carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Kimball Electronics has a positive average surprise of 11.9% for the trailing four quarters, having beaten estimates twice.
Kopin has managed to beat earnings twice over the trailing four quarters and has an average positive surprise of 5.3%.
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