Edit: Downvote me all you want, but the OP asked why people just didn't implement HTTPS and I have first hand knowledge of several apps that chose to not implement HTTPS because the legal work required around crypto export licenses was too much to be worth it.
It was always exempt because you weren't shipping your own crypto implementation. Apple has to comply when shipping iOS. Those apps were not shipping HTTPS for a non-reason. This recent change only made the wording clearer in iTunes Connect.
The uncertainty around phrasing like "uses encryption" certainly would require spending expensive lawyer hours to ensure the app would be in the clear. Certainly not a "non-reason".
I've spent time with lawyers on specifically this topic. It is about who is distributing the crypto code. There is also an exemption for open source crypto code. On iOS you definitely do not need to register your app if it is just using the built in HTTPS functionality. Hire your own lawyers if you're really worried about it though.
