Man, so check it out—Vuzix, those folks who’ve been dabbling in smart glasses for ages, just got a cool $5 million boost from Quanta Computer. Yeah, those Taiwanese guys who also play a hand in tinkering with Apple stuff.
This isn’t just some one-time deal, by the way. Quanta tossed in $10 million last September, got themselves some Vuzix stock at $1.30 each—seems like they were planning to throw in a total of $20 million all along. Not pocket change, right?
So, I got curious. Paul Travers, the big cheese over at Vuzix, says this cash influx? It’s all about revamping their waveguide manufacturing. Basically, they’re aiming to craft AI smart glasses that won’t burn a hole in your pocket—light as air and loaded with performance, they say. Could be game-changing, who knows.
He also mentioned, kinda proudly, this move is one more feather in the cap for building a tighter bond with Quanta and pushing their waveguide production tech even further. Sounds intense. Or maybe I’m easily impressed. Anyway—
Oh, and speaking of waveguides. Vuzix has been around since ’97, mainly pitching to big businesses. They’ve dipped into healthcare, manufacturing, warehousing—you name it. They make their own waveguides too, not just for themselves but for others like Garmin and some unnamed big shots in the tech and defense sectors.
In the 2010s, they dabbled in consumer stuff—think V920 video eyewear, maybe something like the STAR 1200 AR headset. Things were quiet till November 2024 when they rolled out the Z100. These bad boys weren’t just any glasses but sleek, AI-powered gadgets priced at about $500. Oh, they pair up with your phone and flash notifications and all that jazz. I mean, it’s kinda neat.
But here’s the kicker: The timing’s interesting because the smart glasses market is buzzing. Google’s buddying up with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster—yeah, those stylish ones—to drop some Android XR glasses. And Meta’s not sitting still either. They’re shaking hands with Ray-Ban’s maker to roll out Oakley-branded smart glasses this summer.
Buzz is that Samsung and Apple might jump in soon. Samsung could drop something any day now, and whispers have it Apple might next year. Crazy times in tech land!
