iRobot, manufacturer of the robot vacuum cleaner, has confirmed The edge that a software update is causing problems for some users of its i7 and s9 robots and that it is working on another job to prevent future problems. The catch? It may take a while before things get fixed, and iRobot expects the update to start within the next few weeks.
According to users on Reddit and Twitter, the recent 3.12.8 firmware update caused navigation issues. One user described their robot cleaner as acts “drunk” after the update: to turn around and bump into furniture, clean in strange patterns, get stuck in an empty area and not be able to make it at home. What’s more, some other users report that the environment that created their Roombas was wiped out by the update.
The severity of the problems ranges from Roombas now taking longer to clean the house, until it can not return to the charging station and therefore barely works. And while iRobot has worked with the affected customers to get back the update, some report that they are still experiencing issues. They may have to wait until the new software update arrives for the vacuum cleaner to start working properly again.
One Reddit user took a lapse of time from their Roomba with the update as it struggled and ultimately failed to make its base station home. The video shows how many other posters on Roomba Reddit and on Twitter also. One poster outlined their support experience, saying they had been waiting two and a half weeks for the software update on their Roomba, and it still hadn’t happened.