Perhaps you've heard of the so-called "Internet of Things," the concept that everyday objects like toothbrushes, glasses, and dishwashers can be controlled over the internet.
Gartner, the technology research firm, says we've reached peak hype when it comes to the Internet of Things.
The company on Tuesday released its annual Hype Cycle, a chart that shows where technologies are in terms of "maturity and adoption."
And along with self-driving cars, the Internet of Things (IoT) is the top of the cycle.
According to Gartner, we're at the "peak of inflated expectations" when it comes to the Internet of Things.
What this means is that there's been a lot of publicity around the IoT, Gartner analysts write. But those successes are "often accompanied by scores of failures. Some companies take action; many do not."
In other words, you may know a handful of people who have connected door locks or air conditioners, but you probably know a lot more people who don't.
According to Gartner, the Internet of Things won't reach mainstream adoption in the next couple of years, but perhaps in five to 10 years.
Check out the 2015 Gartner Hype Cycle:
The position of IoT on the cycle is unchanged from where Gartner placed it in last year's report.
In its annual report, Gartner analysts write that the lower costs of the technologies that enable connected products are allowing many companies to experiment with the IoT. But security concerns, an unclear business model, and no clear standard operating system still limit the rate of adoption of these types of products.
IoT was the dominant theme at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas in January. Nearly every device at the show from cars to pill containers to security cameras were network enabled.
Samsung's CEO BK Yoon even said at CES that by 2020, every product the company makes, from ovens to headphones to washing machines, will be "smart" devices.
“Arguably it is the most important topic for our industry right now,” Yoon said.
In addition to Samsung, many of the other large tech companies are dabbling in connected products.
Apple has a platform called HomeKit that can control connected accessories like light bulbs and door locks.
And earlier this year Amazon released the Echo, a connected speaker that waits for you to utter the phrase "Alexa" and then give a command. The speaker can tell you the weather, add products to your shopping list, and search for things on Wikipedia. It can also connect to certain smart home products so you can control them with your voice through the Echo speaker.
Google also announced at its annual developer conference in May that it has created Brillo, an operating system, like Android, to power internet-connected devices.
