Why the internet of things revolution will begin in Las Vegas

The “Internet of Things” and “smart home” are both phrases that few had encountered at the beginning of 2015.
But heading into CES 2016, the agenda-setting technology convention in Las Vegas, both phrases are much more widely recognised – aided by a greater range of available products.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is the idea of all devices being connected to the internet, and then being able to communicate with each other – with central control in the hands of a person’s smartphone.
For example, a kettle automatically turns on when an alarm goes off in the morning, while at the same time a smart thermostat switches on the hot water for the shower. Light bulbs, speakers, plug sockets and door sensors are also part of the smart home network.
Smart device giant Samsung is now at the centre of this trend, having purchased IoT company SmartThings in 2014.