Alright, here goes. So, Vuzix is that company you’ve probably never heard of unless you’ve been living the smart glasses dream since, like, forever. They just got another $5 million tossed their way by Quanta Computer, which, if you don’t know, is this big deal over in Taiwan. They put together stuff for Apple. Yeah, them.
Now, this isn’t Quanta’s first rodeo with Vuzix — they threw $10 million into the pot back in September 2024. Why you ask? Vuzix was selling their stock dirt cheap at $1.30 a pop. Crazy, right? Anyway, they’re hoping for a $20 million bonanza from Quanta when all’s said and done.
So, Paul Travers — he’s the big cheese over at Vuzix — is all excited because this cash injection means they can get serious with their waveguide manufacturing. No clue what “waveguide” means? Same. But apparently, it’s vital for making these AI glasses that are easy on the wallet and won’t make your face feel like it’s carrying a brick.
He’s also saying this new moolah strengthens their best-buds deal with Quanta. It’s like they’re Facebook-official now or something. Their waveguide production facility? It’s cutting-edge. Or so they say.
Vuzix has been around since 1997 — yep, nearly as ancient as me trying to operate a VCR back in the day. They’ve been into making these nifty glasses for companies, particularly juggling roles like, I don’t know, healthcare stuff, factories perhaps — even warehouses. You name it.
And the waveguides? They do their own. Plus, they lend them out too. They’ve worked with Garmin and some other secretive big players, maybe even your favorite defense supplier — if you have one of those.
Flash to today, they’ve introduced these Z100 glasses. A first for them: slim, AI, and costs just $500. Maybe not pocket change, but hey, cool factor!
Also, everyone and their dog seems to want a piece of the smart glasses pie nowadays. Google’s getting cozy with guys like Warby Parker. Meta’s doing the Ray-Ban thing. And then there’s whisper-talk about Samsung and Apple sneaking into the game soon too. Keeps your eyes peeled — or rather, your eyes covered with smart glasses? Who can remember these days.
