iRobot is releasing a redesigned app for its various robotic vacuums and mops, delivering a new "iRobot Genius Home Intelligence" with smart new features, compatible with all Wi-Fi-connected iRobot products. Ostensibly rolling out today, the new iRobot Genius uses machine learning for things like suggesting Clean Zones or Keep Out Zones, learning your cleaning routines, and even building recommended cleaning schedules.
The new iRobot Genius will also make seasonal recommendations based on things like allergy seasons or pet-shedding, plus event-based automation that can take cues from other services like your August smart lock, ecobee, or Live360 (via IFTTT Connect) for even easier home automation. Routine creation also looks like a snap in the new app.
Some of these features will take advantage of the "Imprint" smart mapping feature (if it's available on your vacuum/mop), to offer suggestions based on the furniture it recognizes, so it can pay special attention to the area under the kitchen counter and dining room table, for instance.
In short, the new app doesn't change anything about your Roomba's hardware, but it combines the data it already has to make what you can do with it easier and better — with a pretty clean-looking UI. That means you can be every bit as lazy when it comes to actually sweeping or scrubbing the floor, or at least stretch out the time between manual cleaning intervals a bit longer.
So far as we can tell, the iRobot Home app update that delivers these new features isn't actually rolling out on Android just yet. But the company claims it should be landing starting today, so Roomba owners should keep their eyes peeled over on the Play Store.