If you miss the double-press feature on the Digital Crown that used to open the App Switcher screen on Apple Watch before watchOS 27, it seems this feature will return starting with the second beta of watchOS 27.2, according to "9to5mac".

Apple is working on bringing back the app-switching feature in watchOS

Apple has released the second beta (beta 2) of watchOS 27.2 for developers, just over a week after releasing the first beta (beta 1). This beta includes a small feature that is likely to please long-time Apple Watch users: the return of the app-switching gesture before the official launch of watchOS 27. Although Apple has not brought back the Digital Crown shortcut to open the App Switcher screen in the second beta (beta 2) of watchOS 27.2, it has reintroduced the App Switcher screen but with a new gesture.

The "Apple Den" server on Discord, shared by user "Bones" on X, allows users to press and hold the bottom of the screen while using an app in the second beta (beta 2) of watchOS 27.2 to open the App Switcher screen.

While there is no guarantee that this specific mechanism will make it into the final version, its inclusion in the second beta (beta 2) of watchOS 27.2 suggests that Apple is listening to user feedback and looking for ways to bring back the app-switching feature.