While washing machines have had these kinds of sensors for years, small and cheap integrated wifi chipsets have also been around for years. If manufacturers saw a demand for this, it would already be in their machines.

While wifi tech is useful for many applications, there are thousands of applications that are going to be left as "so what? who cares?"

Smart electric meters already have these tracking capabilities and by all accounts, people aren't using the stats or report-making abilities. Google shut down their tracking service as an example.

Honestly, most people don't want to sit around looking at graphs. I know plenty of people who do that during work hours who want to step on their computers at the end of each day. Which brings us back to the cool factor, which is automation. And you can't automate a washing machine with an internet connection.

The light switch example is much more apt, except for the fact where every switch is now going to cost $100+ retail. If you want to spend $100 on a light switch there are already products out there for you today. You might actually spend a lot less than $100 on the actual switch, but don't fret, you can make up for it in an expensive controller/gateway.

Now, I'd really be interested in hearing about the real/actual products this tech is going to find its way into. But I'm certain that if they were allowed to be announced at this time, we would already know. I suppose we'll have to wait.