While OpenAI and Google grabbed headlines with GPT-6 and Gemini changes, Anthropic quietly refreshed its entire Claude lineup over the past six weeks. If you use Claude — or are deciding between assistants — here's what's new.
The release timeline
- 22 September — Claude Opus 5.5: Anthropic's most capable widely available model, focused on agentic coding and complex knowledge work.
- 28 September — Claude Sonnet 5.5: an upgrade to Sonnet 5, balancing capability and speed for everyday work.
- 7 October — Claude Haiku 5.5: a fast, small model built for high-volume tasks.
Anthropic also launched its higher "Mythos-class" tier in September, with Claude Fable 5.1 as the publicly available version and Claude Mythos available to a limited set of organisations.
Which Claude should you use?
- Opus 5.5 — long, difficult tasks: multi-step coding projects, detailed reports, analysing big documents. Slower and usually limited to paid plans or tighter usage caps.
- Sonnet 5.5 — the sensible default for writing, studying, emails and most coding help.
- Haiku 5.5 — quick answers and simple tasks. Developers use it to keep app costs low.
Which models you can pick depends on your plan, so check the model menu in the Claude app.
Other Anthropic news this month
- IPO filing: Anthropic filed a Form S-1 with the US SEC on 26 October for a proposed listing.
- Startups programme: Anthropic expanded its offer for startups, including a free year of Claude Team and API credits for eligible founders — worth a look for Indian startups.
- Education push: a $100 million Claude Frontier Academy aims to train 10,000 engineers by the end of 2027.
Claude vs ChatGPT vs Gemini
All three are now strong. Many people find Claude particularly good for long-form writing and careful coding, ChatGPT for its broad features, and Gemini for its tie-in with Google apps. The best way to choose is to run the same real task through the free version of each.
Sources: Anthropic announcements, TechCrunch
Also read: ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Claude: Which AI Assistant Fits You? · How to Use AI to Write Better Messages and Emails
