INTERNET OF THINGS Security Fears Make IoT Gadgets Tough Sell

The much celebrated Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is an annual foreteller of all tech trends for the year — what’s in and what’s out. And it looks like a lot of smart appliances might remain unsold. Privacy and security concerns might dampen demand for smart home devices, like thermostats and smoke detectors, collectively called Internet of Things. The early adopters of technology might have lapped this up, but consumer surveys reveal the reluctance among average consumers. “Last year, there was a great deal of optimism and bullishness around home automation,” Dave Bottoms, chief operating officer of PEQ, a smart home startup, was quoted as saying in The Wall Street Journal. “The reality is it is a lot harder and tougher than everybody imagined.”