watchOS 27 removes Walkie-Talkie and multitasking shortcut, replaces app grid

Another change involves the Digital Crown double-click gesture that previously let users switch between apps. In watchOS 27, double-clicking the Digital Crown now does the same thing as a single click, which removes the multitasking shortcut. According to 9to5Mac, a quick way to jump between two apps or between an app and the watch face has always been useful, and the author hopes a solution returns.

The update also introduces what 9to5Mac calls a dynamic app grid when users click the Digital Crown once. For the first time since the original watchOS, pressing the crown from the watch face or inside an app no longer opens the full app launcher. Instead, users see five intelligently suggested apps, the Siri app, and an icon for the full app grid. To see all apps, they can tap that icon or scroll the Digital Crown upward. The publication says the dynamic grid has larger tap targets and fewer icons to navigate, but also that it feels cumbersome for quick use compared with the old app launcher.

The same article notes that change always takes adjustment. The author, who has been running watchOS 27 since the first beta in June, says losing Walkie-Talkie is not something they personally notice, the multitasking shortcut loss feels temporary, and the dynamic app grid is a fine default but not ideal for speedier users. They add that they would trade all these changes to get the Explorer watch face back, which has also been removed.