iOS 18.4 is here, bringing with it a ton of new features. One of my favorites? A new Apple Music capability that expands the services reach beyond the Music app, pushing further into Control Center and more.Ambient Music controls expand Apple Musics reach in iOS 18.4After you install iOS 18.4, if youre like me youll probably pop into some of your favorite apps to see if anythings changed.Doing this with the Music app will reveal no discernible new features. But thats because the latest Apple Music feature isnt found directly inside the app.Instead, Apple has done something unique and expanded Apple Musics functionality into a new set of Ambient Music controls in iOS 18.4. Essentially, the update adds special new ways to trigger Apple Music mood playlists from outside the Music app.iOS 18.4 supports four such moods, though I wouldnt be surprised if more arrive in future updates.SleepChillProductivityWellbeingEach control has been assigned to play a specific Apple Music playlist. For example, by default the Productivity control plays BEATstrumentals, but you can also select one of three other curated playlists, or set it to trigger any playlist of your choice.You can assign these new music controls to any of the following three places:Control Centeryour Lock Screenand the iPhones Action buttonTo update a controls playlist setting, be sure youre in editing mode then tap the control and youll see customization options.Apple Music in iOS 18.4: wrap-upOpening the Music app will continue being the main way most of us interact with Apple Music, but I love what Apples doing with iOS 18.4s new Ambient Music controls. The ability to assign a mood playlist button to your iPhones Lock Screen, Action button, or Control Center removes friction from the music playback experience. It also helps reduce my own analysis paralysis when opening the Music app and confronting far too many options to choose from. Now I can have a simple toggle fit for these select occasions.What do you think of the ambient music options Apple added to iOS 18.4? Let us know in the comments.Best iPhone accessoriesAdd 9to5Mac to your Google News feed. FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.Youre reading 9to5Mac experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Dont know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel