Starting from iOS 9, App Transport Security enforces to use secure HTTPS requests by default.
App Transport Security
App Transport Security (ATS) enforces best practices in the secure connections between an app and its back end. ATS prevents accidental disclosure, provides secure default behavior, and is easy to adopt; it is also on by default in iOS 9 and OS X v10.11. You should adopt ATS as soon as possible, regardless of whether you’re creating a new app or updating an existing one.
If you’re developing a new app, you should use HTTPS exclusively. If you have an existing app, you