Claude voice mode gains Opus, Sonnet models and app tools
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- Anthropic updated Claude's voice mode to let users choose between Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku models, with the system defaulting to the fastest version of whichever model was last used in text chat.
- Claude's voice mode now integrates with Gmail, Google Calendar, Slack, Canva, and Notion, enabling users to schedule meetings, draft emails, or create documents by voice.
- The tool-use capability sets Claude apart from OpenAI's voice mode, which the article says updated conversational style but 'still isn't able to use different tools to get work done.'
- Anthropic said the new voice mode handles longer conversations, including giving feedback on communication style, rehearsing client pitches, and brainstorming product-market research.
- The update is in beta across all platforms, but free users are restricted to the Haiku model and just one connected app.
- Anthropic did not change the underlying voice model, meaning users won't get conversational improvements like better interruption handling — a contrast with OpenAI's recent voice release.
Why it matters: Anthropic just turned Claude's voice into a genuine productivity tool — booking meetings, drafting emails, pulling from Slack — while OpenAI's voice mode still can't tap into third-party apps. But free users are locked to Haiku with one app, pushing the full experience behind a paywall.
