Vuzix has opened up its Z100 smartglasses to consumers, with a host of features, enabled by a head up display.
Vuzix is introducing its Z100 smartglasses to consumers as interest in AR tech heats up.
A long-time leader in the AR smartglasses industry, Vuzix has primarily focused on enterprise solutions. Now, it is expanding its reach by offering the Z100 to a wider audience for $499.
The Z100 weighs just 38 grams and features waveguide technology to deliver a heads-up display. Helpfully, they don’t look as if they’re designed for use in a warehouse — and are a relatively normal looking pair of specs.
Key features include:
- Real-time notifications and updates: Texts, messages, and app alerts.
- Fitness and navigation capabilities: Track exercise metrics or get turn-by-turn directions while keeping your eyes on the road (Android only)
- Live transcription and translation: Display spoken words in real-time, even in different languages.
The Z100 connects with Android and iOS devices via the updated Vuzix Connect app, which includes features like teleprompter mode and Google Maps integration for turn-by-turn navigation — which Vuzix says only works with Android devices.
The company also says there are fitness and workout tracking modes, that take advantage of the display. It’s an interesting addition, but the fact that this is done via the Vuzix app, and doesn’t reply on established fitness apps, makes us a little skeptical.
But it’s the start of a journey, and it will be interesting to see how features evolve once Vuzix beds into the consumer space.
Wareable Says:
This move underscores the growing interest in consumer AR wearables. Vuzix’s timing coincides with Meta’s recent success with its Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which impressed with their audio quality and subtle AR/AI features.
While consumer smartglasses are still in their infancy—especially those with heads-up displays—Vuzix appears to be positioning itself as a leader, aiming to deliver on the promises of AR once technology and consumer expectations align.
But the reason the Ray-Ban Meta glasses have broken into the mainstream is because of how polished the experience is. It’s hard to come from enterprise to consumer because of the higher standards involved. So Vuzix will have its work cut out to create amazing consumer experiences — but its pedigree for hardware can’t be underestimated.
