Pacific Biosciences unveiled a program enabling reuse of SMRT cell consumables and launched a new Sprq‑Nx chemistry that raises output and adds 5‑hydroxymethylcytosine detection. PacBio says select customers could lower human genome consumable costs to under $300 at scale, narrowing the price gap with short‑read platforms for large population projects. Separately, Illumina’s constellation mapped‑read tech showed improved detection of hard‑to‑map variants in a GeneDx pilot, suggesting competing sequencing approaches continue to push sensitivity for rare disease diagnostics. Together these updates signal accelerating competition and cost reductions in high‑quality whole‑genome sequencing.