Sphero buys LittleBits in a bid to dominate connected educational toys

Sphero, the maker of connected STEAM toys, is buying LittleBits, another connected toy company that teaches kids to code. The companies didn’t disclose how much Sphero spent on the acquisition, but both companies have similar business models. They mainly sell to schools and have built education support systems to assist teachers. Combined, the companies say, they’ve reached over six million students across 35,000 schools.

Both companies understand the importance of schools to the viability of a hardware company. Some hardware companies focus on consumer subscriptions, like the Keurig coffee pod model, but Sphero and LittleBits instead sell to teachers and offer subscription plans that cover standard wear and tear, essential for products…

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via The Verge – All Posts

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