iRobot announced today that the purchase deal by Amazon in the amount of 1.4 billion dollars has been canceled. Regulators in the European Union expressed concern that the acquisition would harm competition in the robotic vacuum cleaner market.
In addition, the company will lay off approximately 31% of its employees (350 employees) and reduce its presence in certain locations. Amazon claims that the decision prevents companies from growing in the global market, and harms the end of talk about consumers and innovation. The company's CEO, Colin Engel, will step down after 34 years as the driving force behind Roomba's development and success.