Anthropic, a company renowned for its artificial intelligence research, has unveiled significant updates for its intelligent assistant, "Claude."
These include the introduction of a voice conversation mode across mobile applications, in addition to making web search accessible to all users, including those on free plans.
These steps come as part of the company's efforts to make Claude more interactive and user-friendly for a wider audience.
Natural Voice Conversations with Claude
Anthropic clarified that the new voice mode is currently in a beta phase.
It will be rolled out gradually in English over the next few weeks to users of Claude's applications on both iOS and Android.
The company also stated that it will open the door for users to engage in full voice conversations with the intelligent assistant.
According to Anthropic, the screen displays key points while Claude speaks, which helps in effectively following the dialogue.
We're rolling out voice mode in beta on mobile.
— Anthropic (May 27, 2025)
Try starting a voice conversation and asking Claude to summarize your calendar or search your docs. pic.twitter.com/xVo5VHiCEb
Users can now directly speak to the assistant and listen to its voice responses, which is particularly useful when hands are occupied.
This feature, which defaults to the Claude 4 Sonnet model, supports discussing documents and images.
To enhance personalization, the company offers five distinct voice options: 'Buttery,' 'Airy,' 'Mellow,' 'Glassy,' and 'Rounded,' allowing each user to choose their preferred tone.
Interactive Features and Integration with Google Services
Among the most prominent aspects of the new voice mode is its ability to seamlessly transition between voice commands and text input without losing conversation context.
Following each voice interaction, users receive a full text transcript and a conversation summary, along with visual notes that outline the main ideas discussed.
For paid subscribers, the voice mode's capabilities extend further, allowing access to information from Google Calendar, Mail, and Docs, which can then be summarized and presented vocally to the user.
For instance, users can verbally inquire about upcoming appointments or the contents of a specific presentation. This integration capability with Google apps is an additional strength for Claude.
It's worth noting that the subscription cost for "Claude Pro" plans is $20 per month (or $214.99 annually for advance payment), while "Claude Max" costs $100 per user per month.
Current Limitations and Initial Reactions
Anthropic indicated that voice conversations will count towards normal usage limits, with most free plan users expected to conduct between 20 to 30 conversations.
Currently, voice mode usage is limited to mobile applications, and the company has not released any information regarding API support or its availability on the web platform.
In a related context, Alex Albert, Head of Claude Relations at Anthropic, wrote on the social media platform X: "It's an early application of voice mode, but I've already found it quite enjoyable and useful. Let us know what you think (good and bad) so we can greatly improve it in the future!"
Competing with AI Companies
With these additions, Anthropic enters the competitive arena of AI-powered voice assistants with greater force.
It's worth noting that other companies offer similar experiences.
For instance, OpenAI has provided a voice mode for ChatGPT since late 2023.
Google also has its Gemini Live assistant, while xAI offers a voice mode for Grok.
Through these enhancements, Anthropic aims not only to keep pace with these offerings but also to provide distinct added value.
Expanding Web Search
Coinciding with the voice mode launch, Anthropic has expanded access to its web search feature, making it available to all Claude users, including those on free plans.
This feature enables the chatbot to leverage real-time data from the internet, providing more current and accurate answers about breaking news, market trends, and other evolving topics.
These developments build upon Anthropic's previous experience in voice technology, with its technologies contributing to powering services such as Amazon's Alexa Plus and Otter.ai's voice transcription services.
