Apple Mandates This Important Security Feature in All Apps Starting Next Year

Starting January 1, 2017 all apps in the App Store will need to have an important security feature called App Transport Security (ATS) enabled. Apple revealed this at a security presentation at its ongoing Worldwide Developer Conference, reports TechCrunch.

The feature debuted with iOS 9 and it serves the purpose of securing the data that travels online. As explained by TechCrunch, ATS forces an app to connect to web services using a HTTPS connection, since it encrypts the data while in transit. You’ll see it your browser when — for example — you log into your email account or bank account.

Although ATS is enabled by default in iOS 9, developers can still allow apps to connect to web services over a less secure HTTP connection. That’s going to change at the end of this year, as Apple will make ATS mandatory for all apps which are going to be submitted to the App Store.

By doing so, Apple joins larger movement to secure data as it travels online, TechCrunch says.