Days ago, I talked with friends about sweeping robots and we found that navigation solution providers merely targeting sweepers are going through a harder time, always ending up as complete machine makers or their partners.
Major representatives:
3irobotics, subsidiary of Hanslaser in laser navigation, now produces its own sweeping robots.
Ankobot intelligence in visual navigation now produces its own sweeping robots.
SLAMTEC Technology in Laser Navigation now produces its own sweeping robots.
……….
Amicro Semiconductor in chip and navigation currently makes no sweeping robot
ldrobot in visual navigation currently makes no sweeping robot
Qfeeltech Technology in visual navigation currently makes no sweeping robot
Hyperci.in visual navigation currently makes no sweeping robot
……….
It is interesting. Why do the solution providers turn to work on the whole machine? To become the next Roborock? If so, it is unrealistic because Roborock held all the aces to win the game, and that can not be copied.
In my view, there are following reasons:
1.Industry leaders’ monopoly on technology. Top players iRobot, Ecovacs and Roborock have their own algorithm and navigation teams, and these are their core, not to be easily shared with other small businesses.
2.Based on the first point, a large number of third-party navigation solution providers emerge, targeting small and medium-sized enterprises. In this case, small players can reach the same goal by adopting navigation modules.
3.Roborock launched its laser sweeping robot at 1699 yuan, dragging the gross profit of the industry to an unaccessible low 16% or so. Laser and visual navigation solution providers thus move in inch in sales given the pricing of over $200 and other costs far higher than that of Roborock.
Another member in MI ecological chain plans to launch the 1299 yaun visual navigation sweeping robot, which hints the visual navigation market will see another cut-throat competition.
With lack of support of big players, most solution providers fail to run a program on their own. On the other hand, small businesses have difficulty in sales even new laser and visual navigation products are made, given their R&D strength and pricing. Both lead to the failure of mass production even when a host of providers put great efforts into a certain program.
Now no good solution is found. There will be turning point if the industry cake gets rapidly bigger severalfold and attracts more complete machine makers to join, when the price may get lower, more acceptable to consumers, and then prices may be even favorable.
