As the popularity of smart phones and tablets continues to grow, consumers are becoming accustomed to multiple features and instant connectivity. And so they are starting to demand more from the other devices in their homes, including the thermostat.
According to Bobby DiFulgentiz, director of product management for controls, Lennox International, “Smart phones are now owned by over 50 percent of all consumers, and tablets are expected to begin outselling laptops sometime in 2012. This shift in technology has redefined consumer’s usability expectations for all products. Most consumers expect their smart phone or tablet to control or interface with everything — and the thermostat is no exception.”