watchOS 27 eliminates this beloved Apple Watch feature

(Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide) Bad news, Apple Watch power users: the latest watchOS 27 software release removes the easiest way to quickly and efficiently jump between apps.In watchOS 26 and earlier, users could simply double-press the digital crown at any time to jump back into the previous app they were using. This functionality, unofficially called the “app switcher,” is unfortunately no longer available in watchOS 27.Here’s everything you need to know about the removal of the app switcher function for Apple Watch in watchOS 27.watchOS 27 removes the app switcher function (Image credit: Dan Bracaglia/Tom's Guide)I just updated my Apple Watch Series 11 to watchOS 27, a process that took longer than expected (several hours). While I’m largely impressed with the new software — these are the 7 watchOS 27 features you should try first — it falls short in two regards.First, Apple removed the fan-favorite Walkie-Talkie app for no apparent reason. Second, and perhaps much more noticeable, double-tapping the digital crown no longer brings you to the last app you used. Instead, it defaults to displaying the new “Dynamic App Grid” with your seven most-used apps.Oddly, a single click of the digital crown also launches the Dynamic App Grid, which seems redundant/oddly un-Apple-like. What gives?Apple has bigger plans for the digital crown double-tap (Image credit: Apple)Apple apparently has even bigger plans for the digital crown double-tap. Later this year, several intriguing new “Audio Intelligence” features are set to be added to watchOS 27, including “Live Rewind.”Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.It’s designed to give users an easy and discreet way to relisten to the last 15 seconds of audio captured by their Apple Watch (Series 12 and Ultra 4 only) at any moment, and even generate a transcript. For example, if you’re bad with names, like me, Live Rewind could be a truly useful bit of tech. It's also freaking some users out.But what does this have to do with the end of the app switcher function? When Live Rewind launches, the digital crown double-tap will default to opening the feature on compatible devices.What comes next? (Image credit: Future)Ultimately, it’s possible that if enough folks convey their annoyance with the removal of the app switcher function for Apple Watch, the brand might add it back in future firmware, at least for the devices that don’t support the new Live Rewind feature.What are your thoughts on Apple removing the app switcher in watchOS 27? Let me know below. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android. More from Tom's GuideApple Watch Ultra 4 first impressions: 5 reasons to buy and 2 reasons to skip Apple’s new rugged modelHere's how to enable the new Siri AI on your Apple Watch3 reasons why the Pixel Watch 5 Stephen Curry edition is totally worth it Dan Bracaglia is the Tom’s Guide editorial lead for all things smartwatches, fitness trackers and outdoor gear. With 15 years of experience as a consumer technology journalist testing everything from Oura Rings to instant cameras, Dan is deeply passionate about helping readers save money and make informed purchasing decisions. In the past year alone, Dan has assessed major product releases from the likes of Apple, Garmin, Google, Samsung, Polar and many others. An avid outdoor adventurer, Dan is based in the U.S. Pacific Northwest where he takes advantage of the beautiful surroundings every chance he gets. A lover of kayaking, hiking, swimming, biking, snowboarding and exploring, he also makes every effort to combine his day job with his passions. When not assessing the sleep tracking and heart rate accuracy of the latest tach gadgets, you can find him photographing Seattle’s vibrant underground music community.