In a significant expansion move, ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice mode has been made available to Plus users across the European Union, Switzerland, Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein as of October 22, 2024. This rollout has brought the highly anticipated voice communication feature to a broader audience, allowing users in these regions to experience enhanced interaction with ChatGPT.
Subscription Access and Features
The Advanced Voice mode is an exclusive feature that can be accessed through a ChatGPT Plus subscription, which is priced at $20 per month. This subscription unlocks the voice capabilities allowing for a more immersive and interactive experience. To enable this feature, users need to ensure their ChatGPT app is updated to the latest version, and they can activate it by selecting the Advanced Voice mode icon adjacent to the prompt window.
The feature supports a wide range of European languages including English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian, among others. This inclusivity caters to the diverse linguistic landscape in Europe, promoting accessibility and convenience for non-English speakers.
Navigating Regulatory Requirements
The rollout faced delays due to stringent local regulations within Europe, necessitating several external reviews to ensure compliance. This delay had previously caused notable frustration among European Plus users who witnessed a staggered launch compared to Enterprise and Edu account holders.
Despite these initial setbacks, the availability of the feature to Plus users marks a completion in its phased rollout, bringing it in line with other user types in Europe. This comprehensive availability allows more users to benefit from the feature that mimics real-time and natural conversation nuances such as speed and emotion in speech.
Moreover, the rollout includes specific usage limits for Plus and Team users, with daily restrictions in place to manage the load and performance of this new feature. Notifications are sent once users approach their daily limit, enhancing user experience and managing expectations.
Additionally, users can maintain ongoing Advanced Voice conversations even when multitasking on their devices. This is facilitated by enabling the Background Conversations setting, providing convenience by allowing conversations to persist in the background or with the phone screen locked.
For optimal performance, using headphones and settings like Voice Isolation mic mode on iPhone is recommended to minimize conversation interruptions. These technical tips aim to enhance the overall user experience by addressing potential challenges that may arise during voice interactions.
