August Apple Fantasy Merger: iRobot

(Each month we weigh the pros and cons of a particular potential merger for Apple. Please note the "fantasy" part of this speculation: Many times the mergers mentioned couldn't or wouldn't be realistically possible. But put all that aside and enjoy this month's edition of Fantasy Merger.)

We've tackled some of the biggest potential Apple fantasy mergers in previous months, including Adobe, Google, Comcast, and Nintendo.

This month we're thinking somewhat smaller: iRobot. Clearly, Apple is the leader in digital downloads, and now with the iPhone and it's apps, you can start controlling your life from your phone: iTunes remote, VNC into other computers, email, etc. But what about the physical world around you? What if, beyond supporting third party software, Apple got into the home automation business? Or more specifically, the home automation hardware business? Yes, the Jetsons future we were all promised, would finally be here. iRobot has done the hard work of designing and marketing the most successful home "robot" to date, the Roomba. Additionally, they've expanded to other consumer models for gutter cleaning and pool cleaning. If these technologies will ever truly take off (which is arguable) it will take the marketing sizzle of an established, stylish, company. Enter Apple. Using wifi networks, Apple could coordinate home automation for TVs, kitchen appliances, heating, cooling and more. And yes, it would seem like this merger would be far from Apple's core values. At the same time, if home automation does finally catch on, doesn't one company, offering a total end-to-end solution, and already known for its ease of use, stand the best chance of making it a reality?