• by Chuck Martin , Staff Writer, October 21, 2016

A billion here, a billion there. The number of Internet-connected devices continues to climb.

While there will be many billions of sensors of all types installed around the world, there also is a lot of activity around home applications.

Within three years, there will be more than 2 billion fixed consumer entertainment devices, according to a report on IoT-connected consumers by IDC for Telus International.

These connected devices include smart TVs, digital media adapters, Blue-ray players and video game consoles.

There are about 35 million U.S. households with some kind of multimedia home networking applications, according to IDC.

The highest current uses of home networking applications are wirelessly connecting to the Internet, streaming TV shows, movies or other video form the Internet to a TV and sharing a printer among computers.

However, the is plenty of consumer interest in doing other things beyond entertainment. Here, in order, are the home automation and control applications that consumers are highly interested in, according to the report:

1. Networked sensors monitoring for fires, smoke or water at home
2. See and record who comes to the front door using a video camera
3. Networked sensors monitoring doors and windows
4. Internet-connected door locks
5. Have multiple changes occur in the home as a result of triggers
6. Networked control of lights, home appliances and entertainment devices
7. Voice-control of lights, music, appliances and home environment
8. Demand-response control for energy consumption
9. Networked kitchen appliances.

Of fixed entertainment devices in the home, the smart television takes the top spot, by a lot, for the next three years.

Many consumers already are streaming content through those their smart TVs, with more to come.

The trend to watch is whether the TV, the smartphone or an independent device becomes the hub or central control point for connected devices in the home. And that will take some serious time to determine.