Anthropic brings Opus and Sonnet to Claude's voice mode

Anthropic announced on July 23, 2026, the most significant update to Claude’s voice mode since its launch. Until now, spoken conversations with the assistant used exclusively Claude Haiku, the smallest and fastest model in the family. With this update, paying users can now also choose Claude Opus or Claude Sonnet for voice interactions.

More power, more integrations

The update is not limited to available models. Anthropic has also expanded the list of apps that can connect to the voice mode, including Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Canva, and Notion, provided the user has granted the necessary permissions. This allows users to ask Claude via voice to check their calendar, draft a Slack message, or search for a document in Notion, without typing.

Plan differences

Free plan users retain access only to Claude Haiku and can connect one app at a time. Paying subscribers, however, can switch between all three models and connect multiple apps simultaneously, significantly expanding possibilities for hands-free productivity tasks.

A different approach than OpenAI

Claude’s voice mode operates in turn-based mode: it listens first, then thinks, then responds. This contrasts with GPT-Live, OpenAI’s voice tool launched on July 8, 2026, which uses a duplex architecture capable of speaking and being interrupted in real time within the same conversation. While OpenAI’s approach prioritizes fluid, natural interaction, Anthropic’s prioritizes more detailed responses using higher-capacity models, albeit with less real-time conversational fluidity.

Availability in multiple languages

Claude’s voice feature is available in ten languages: English, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. With this move, Anthropic aims to close the gap with other AI-powered voice assistants that have gained ground in the past year.

Sources: WWWhat’s New.