If you’re still using the app list on the Pixel Watch 3, you’re doing it wrong
Switch to grid view if you seek efficiency; keep the list view if you like wasting your time.
Before the first Pixel Watch launched, I tried an Apple Watch 6 and a Galaxy Watch 4 for a while. And one of the most simple features I appreciated about them was the grid view in the app drawer. Smartwatch displays are tiny, so fitting more icons on the same screen just makes sense from a usability perspective.