Illumina outlined an 18‑month roadmap of improvements to the NovaSeq X platform that will raise flow‑cell output, shorten run times, and introduce higher‑quality kits targeting Q50 Phred scores and application‑specific Q70 performance. Near‑term launches include a 5 billion‑read flow cell and longer‑read 600‑cycle kits. The plan aims to blunt rising competition from new entrants while preserving Illumina’s installed base advantage. The company emphasized improvements to clustering chemistry, XLeap reagents, and basecalling algorithms to boost accuracy for demanding applications such as minimal residual disease testing and immune repertoire assays.