Apple gives app makers more time to switch to HTTPS connection
Apple required developers to switch on App Transport Security by January 1st, but the company changed its mind.
Earlier this year, Apple required all app developers to switch on App Transport Security by January 1st, 2017. The feature (introduced with iOS 9 back in 2015) would have boosted apps' security, since it forces them to connect to the internet over HTTPS. Unfortunately, not everyone took advantage of the feature, and Google even released some codes that allowed developers to bypass ATS. If you were expecting to be protected by this extra layer of security in a few days' time, though, you'd be sorely disappointed. Cupertino has decided to extend the deadline and give developers more time to prepare for the switch. In a post on the Apple Developer website, the company wrote:
"App Transport Security (ATS), introduced in iOS 9 and OS X v10.11, improves user security and privacy by requiring apps to use secure network connections over HTTPS. At WWDC 2016 we announced that apps submitted to the App Store will be required to support ATS at the end of the year. To give you additional time to prepare, this deadline has been extended and we will provide another update when a new deadline is confirmed."
Apple doesn't have a new deadline yet, but it promises another update when it has a date in mind.
