Shulou(Shulou.com)12/24 Report--

On the evening of November 23, Beijing time, three people familiar with the matter said that Amazon's $1.4 billion acquisition of iRobot, a maker of floor-sweeping robots, will receive unconditional approval from the EU antitrust department.

In recent years, antitrust law enforcement agencies around the world have stepped up scrutiny of large technology companies acquiring smaller competitors, fearing that a small number of companies will accumulate large amounts of data and that large companies will use their advantages to enter and monopolize new markets.

The European Commission warned Amazon in July that the deal could reduce competition in the floor-sweeping robot market and strengthen Amazon's dominant position as an online market supplier.

The European Commission will make a decision on the deal by February 14 next year. The committee declined to comment on the news, and Amazon did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Amazon announced in August that it would buy iRobot, adding its Roomba floor sweeping robot to Amazon's smart device portfolio. So far, Amazon's smart device lineup includes Alexa voice assistants, smart thermostats, security devices and wall-mounted smart displays.

UK antitrust authorities approved the deal unconditionally after a preliminary review.

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