In a move that the companies describe as changing the
way in which mobile computing users access critical business
information, SAP and Sybase have signed a partnership to port
enterprise class software to the iPhone, BlackBerry and Windows
Mobile devices.
To date , some
enterprise mobility systems have been compromised by certain
genres of mobile devices’ lack of capability to run business
applications to acceptable business-enhancing levels.
Claimed to be the first time devices such as the
iPhone and
BlackBerry have been able to access full-featured SAP business
applications, the new partnership is designed to allow access to
critical customer data in both connected and disconnected modes
from the mobile device of choice by utilising Sybase’s business
process mobilisation technology.
Sybase says that it will work together with SAP to simplify the
delivery of its widely used enterprise applications to mobile
devices. This will include speeding up rollout and reducing
end-user training for sales representatives and service personnel.
The company will also enable sales professionals access to the SAP
customer relationship management (CRM) solution, equipping them
with up-to-the-minute customer data synchronised with the
enterprise applications.
Nigel Doust, VP of EMEA, Sybase iAnywhere explained who the
solutions was aimed at, “The target audience is all of the 14m
million licensees of SAP software and all of their customers. We
can support any device in a consistent way and [can enable] device
management for any device.” Doust added that the price of the
system had yet to be disclosed by SAP and that the software will be
available from traditional SAP distribution outlets in addition to
the Apple App
Store and the similar applications repository that RIM offers
for BlackBerry devices.
“[There is] built-up demand by an increasing number of
businesses looking to take that next step towards enterprise
mobility, " said Stephen Drake, program vice president, Mobility
and Telecom, of research firm IDC
commenting on the announcement.
“Although network connectivity speeds and mobile device
computing power have improved, there are fundamental IT barriers
that remain on the application side preventing enterprise mobility
from reaching its full potential…SAP and Sybase [are able to]
optimise enterprise systems for mobile devices and deliver high
productivity applications.”