- Narwal’s J-series reflects the industry’s push toward lower-maintenance robot vacuums.
- Technology iteration is now measured by complete cleaning systems, not isolated specifications.
- Robot vacuum brands need product rhythm and user experience depth to stay relevant.
Technological Development Trends in the Cleaning Robot Industry Following Roborock J6's Launch
Overview of Roborock J6
The most notable feature of this latest release from Narwal is its live water track cleaning function. The track automatically lifts and expands to clean along edges. The water tank contains 45-degree hot water for cleaning, which enhances the ability to tackle tough oil stains. The benefit of the track is that it covers a larger area with stronger pressure, ensuring cleaner floors.
The suction power is rated at 20KPA, with noise levels at 56DB.
Regarding the base station, it features dynamic temperature adjustment between 45-60 degrees for hot water cleaning cloths and includes a 40-degree heat-drying function to dry the cloths. The 45-degree hot water in the body is replenished from the base station. The body has a large-capacity dust bag of 1L, capable of achieving up to 90 days of continuous cleaning without emptying the dust bag. Unlike other brands, Roborock's dust bag is located on the body rather than the base station.
J6 also improved its ability to climb and cross obstacles, able to clear thresholds as high as 4CM, making it suitable for most homes.
Technological Trends in Cleaning Robots
The live water track cleaning function is a significant improvement for Roborock J6. This feature has gained popularity among cleaning robots over the past two years. Previously, when using circular mops, users had to clean them at the base station after use. If they encountered stains like soy sauce or pet feces, it often resulted in messier floors. Companies such as Ecovacs started installing water tanks on the body of their robots and replacing round mops with brushes or track systems, allowing for real-time cleaning of the brush, similar to a hard floor washer.
This function is not particularly new; during the peak years of hard floor washers (2021), Haier's robot vacuum team proposed moving the self-cleaning roller brush feature from a hard floor washer to a cleaning robot. At that time, I suggested that while this feature was unique, its presence or absence might not significantly impact sales performance.
Several original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) produced prototypes of track-based cleaning robots with live water systems, but due to lack of customer interest, they did not proceed with production molds.
Cleaning robots were transitioning towards all-in-one docks, which represented a significant shift in the industry. The live water track function was less critical compared to the development of an all-in-one dock that included dust collection capabilities. Once other essential features were largely realized, companies began focusing on this live water track feature.
The first company to release a track-based cleaning robot with live water functionality was Xiwu Smart, under the brand name Beetles. The founding team was impressive, with one of the founders being a joint founder of Xiaomi's ecosystem chain. They secured several hundred million yuan in angel funding. When the product launched, it left a significant impression on the industry due to its innovative design. However, at that time, the industry was moving towards all-in-one docks (with dust collection), and Beetles’s product did not include this feature, making it an outsider.
The cleaning robot industry requires substantial capital and talent, which makes it challenging for startups to keep up. Over time, Narwal was eventually acquired by Joyoung.
When DJI Robotics released ROMO recently, I noted that its mopping function uses dual rotating discs rather than live water functionality. Most cleaning robots are designed primarily to sweep floating dust from homes, and the live water feature is not as noticeable to consumers. My assessment was that this would not significantly impact sales performance. Currently, DJI's sales remain strong, with no complaints from customers about this aspect, which validates my prediction.
Another area of focus is climbing ability; currently, Roborock J6 can handle 4CM thresholds, while Dreame’s new model can manage up to 6CM, and DJI ROMO has a 2CM threshold. The next step for DJI will be improving its climbing capability.
A friend asked me what new technologies we might see in 2026. Based on current trends, it seems unlikely that there will be any significant new technological directions; the industry is likely to continue with existing competition and innovation.