By the end of this year, nearly half of all new thermostats sold will be internet-connected "smart" devices as more consumers take the first steps toward creating a digital smart home, Greentech Media reports.

Citing new market research from Parks Associates, the website said fully connected homes aren't in the cards for most consumers, but a growing number of them are buying and installing the devices. Buying habits also are shifting as more people buy the thermostats directly from retail stores or through HVAC specialists rather than from utilities.

Smart thermostats, like the Nest, allow homeowners to monitor and control temperatures with their smart phones of other Wi-Fi-connected devices. A variety of similar web-accessed tools are becoming available.

By 2017, Parks Associates predicts the total number of thermostats sold will top 10 million, with smart thermostats accounting for more than half of that, a chart accompanying the Greentech Media report indicates.

From the article "Smart Thermostats on the Rise" by Scott Gibson.