China's technology sector has seen a rapid blurring of industry boundaries over the past two years as companies push into unfamiliar territory, seeking new growth as their core markets mature.
Smartphone makers are building cars, automakers are developing phones and AI glasses, and now drone giant DJI is entering the household cleaning market in a move analysts say encapsulates the "cross-sector integration" reshaping the country's consumer technology landscape.
DJI's foray into robot vacuums comes as the segment, while smaller than smartphones or home appliances such as air conditioners and refrigerators, continues to post steady expansion. The Chinese market for cleaning appliances has grown more than tenfold over the past decade, and robot vacuums — boosted by government subsidies and AI-driven product upgrades — have remained a rare pocket of growth in a slowing consumer electronics environment.
Analysts say two trends define 2025: weakening smartphone sales and a shifting balance in AI adoption. As artificial intelligence moves deeper into physical, real-world applications, robot vacuums are evolving from simple sweepers into fully autonomous household systems built around embodied intelligence. Major Chinese brands are advancing this shift at home while accelerating expansion overseas.
Between January and October 2025, sales revenue of robot vacuums in China reached 16.6 billion yuan, up 17% year-on-year, according to All View Cloud (AVC). Retail volume rose 18.5% to 5.28 million units, extending a multi-year expansion that has repeatedly outpaced the broader home appliance industry.
Globally, Chinese manufacturers are driving growth. IDC data for the first three quarters of 2025 shows worldwide shipments up 18.7% to 17.42 million units, with Ecovacs, Roborock, Dreame and other Chinese brands occupying the top five spots. "The global market's resilience this year is fuelled by continuous product innovation, upgraded retail channels and stronger underlying demand," said Zhao Siquan, senior analyst at IDC China.
Still, the domestic market has shown signs of strain. During China's Double 11 shopping festival — typically a bellwether for consumer sentiment — robot vacuum sales fell, dragging down the entire cleaning appliance category. AVC data shows total cleaning appliance sales during the promotion dropped 17% to 9.5 billion yuan, with retail volume slipping 1%.
Analysts attribute the dip partly to consumption having been pulled forward earlier in the year and the gradual phase-out of government subsidies. Despite this, institutions expect the robot vacuum segment to clock full-year growth of around 20% in 2025, supported by ongoing urbanisation and rising demand for hands-free home cleaning.
But the upbeat growth also reflects intensifying competition, including entrants from unrelated industries.
DJI, the world's dominant drone maker, has spent recent years pushing beyond drones into handheld imaging devices and other consumer equipment. Its entry into robot vacuums marks another extension of its hardware ecosystem.
The company's first model, launched this year, has been described by industry watchers as "well-equipped" but atypical in its design choices. Despite positioning itself in the mid-to-high-end segment, DJI opted for a disc-type mopping system commonly found in lower-tier products.
"Drum and track systems are standard for higher-end models," said a robot vacuum industry insider who declined to be named. "DJI may be prioritising cost control or may not yet have solved the engineering challenges related to cleaning effectiveness and self-maintenance."
Guo Meide, president of AVC, said DJI's brand strength is an advantage, but the company faces an uphill battle. "This industry now relies heavily on marketing investment. Products are increasingly homogeneous, and the price war is already taking shape. The timing for DJI's entry is not ideal."
Helped by strong brand recognition and favourable market sentiment, DJI sold more than 10,000 units in its first month, placing it briefly among the top six players. But analysts say long-term success depends on ecosystem investment rather than hardware alone, with the market already consolidating around a handful of leaders.
Meanwhile, established brands are also pushing into unrelated sectors. Roborock has expanded into washing machines. Dreame has ventured into smartphones, TVs, drones, astronomy equipment, and earlier this year announced it would develop hyper-luxury cars. Analysts say such moves reflect a broad reordering of the consumer technology industry, where companies pursue ecosystem synergies across categories once considered unrelated.
While global market structure appears relatively stable, consumers say many pain points remain unresolved. These include insufficient cleaning power, poor navigation, and inconsistent obstacle avoidance, according to IDC analysts.
Major exhibitions this year — China's AWE and Germany's IFA — revealed a clear shift from price-driven competition to performance-driven innovation. Market data supports this trend. RUNTO Technology reports that the average selling price of robot vacuums on major e-commerce platforms rose 9.4% year-on-year to 3,344 yuan in Q3 2025.
The fastest growth came from models above 3,500 yuan:
Sales in the 3,500–4,499 yuan segment surged 62.3%, becoming the largest bracket at 29.2% of total sales. Models above 4,500 yuan, typically equipped with more advanced AI algorithms, grew 51.4%, driven by demand from pet owners and households with large floor areas.
Advances in mop-cleaning mechanisms have been central to this shift. The industry has evolved from vibrating and dual-rotating disc mops — both criticised for uneven water distribution and secondary pollution — to roller-based systems capable of delivering higher pressure, better stain removal and real-time freshwater cleaning.
The roller format has become the dominant design. AVC data shows China's active-water roller vacuum segment reached one million units in the first 10 months of 2025, with roller models accounting for 76% of revenue. Their market share is forecast to exceed 80% in 2026.
But marketers have created confusion by blurring distinctions between "active water floor cleaning" and "active water roller cleaning." Only the former involves water directly contacting the floor. The latter uses water merely to clean the roller itself.
"Whether it's self-cleaning or floor cleaning, rollers are becoming mainstream and that benefits consumers," an Ecovacs representative said. "But we believe floor-first water spraying is the only approach that ensures true cleanliness."
The integration of AI into robot vacuums is accelerating. At this year's CES, brands showcased bionic robotic arms attached to robot vacuums, capable of gripping objects with multiple degrees of freedom and guided by camera-based algorithms.
Market feedback has been mixed, but analysts say such innovations represent early steps toward fully automated household robotics, where smart algorithms and precision mechanics increasingly replace manual labour.
With domestic growth expected to moderate next year, Chinese brands are intensifying their expansion abroad. "Home penetration in China is rising, subsidies are rolling back, and demand has largely normalised. Next year will be a major turning point," said an industry analyst. "Price wars would only inflate return rates and erode margins."
By contrast, demand in the Middle East, Africa and Europe remains robust. IDC's latest rankings place five Chinese brands in the global top five. Roborock leads shipments in the US, Germany, South Korea and Turkey. Ecovacs has strengthened its overseas supply chain; Dreame captured 26.8% of Western Europe shipments in the first three quarters; Xiaomi continues to grow across Asia-Pacific with mid-range offerings; and Narwal has surged in both the US and key Asia-Pacific markets.
At this year's IFA in Berlin, companies including Ecovacs, Dreame, MOVA, Narwal and Roborock unveiled flagship products, underscoring Europe's importance to their expansion strategies. Ecovacs Robotics CEO Qian Cheng said Chinese brands benefit from "a world-class supply chain and a strong advantage in AI-driven product development." Overseas revenue now exceeds 40% of the company's total.
Narwal, which has entered more than 30 markets, aims to reach over 50 next year and eventually balance domestic and foreign sales at a 50-50 split, company sources said.
Despite their global momentum, brands face complex regional demands. European households typically require larger-capacity batteries and stronger carpet cleaning functions. Southeast Asian consumers, who often walk barefoot indoors, demand higher levels of floor cleanliness. Japanese buyers prioritise compact designs due to limited living space.
Companies are aware of the challenges, analysts say, but some lack the financial or technological resources to adapt products for each region.
Chinese robot vacuum makers are expected to gain further global visibility next year, helped by supply chain strength and leadership in cleaning technologies. But analysts warn that companies should avoid unnecessary disputes, over-expansion and short-term hype.
"Pragmatism is far more sustainable than superficial prosperity," one industry expert said.
As embodied intelligence becomes the next frontier, the coming year may determine which brands can build enduring global ecosystems — and which will be swept aside in an increasingly crowded race.
