Tim Cook signs SAP for iOS – SANA app pact Apple and SAP are partnering to create native iOS apps for the enterprise firm's HANA platform. The pair plan an iOS SDK for HANA Cloud Platform, targeting those building enterprise apps on Apple’s iPhones and iPad using SAP’s platform-as-a-service. SAP will develop native apps using Swift, Apple’s two-year-old programming …
So what are these "industry-specific apps" created in partnership with IBM? If you ask me, I think the world clearly needs a smartphone app to log into AS/400 and z/OS servers. I'd call it "Mainfrmr".
Or is it more along the lines of "let's put Twatson on iPhones alongside Siri, so that our corporate clients get to enjoy a little schizophrenic vibe"?
In the joint press release SAP reports that "76% of business transactions touching a SAP system are from Apple devices" and Apple has reported that their Enterprise revenue hit $25 Billion last year, up 40% YoY.
This agrees with all the other data out there:
Citrix reports iOS has 64% Business market share worldwide. Also, Good Technology reports that Apple captured 72% of global Mobile Enterprise device activations in Q1 2015 with Android on 26%. Likewise, Egnyte reported that Apple's worldwide iOS mobile business market share increased from 69% to 78% in 2013 while Android declined from 30% the previous year to only 22%.
Intermedia's Mobile Trends Report shows that Apple’s share of Small to Medium Business has increased from 65% in 2011 to 68% in 2014. Android languishes on 26%.
Looks like SAP and IBM are very sensible to target iOS since Apple's platform already dominates Business and Enterprise mobile.
Which is odd, given that Apple really hasnt put in much effort to crack non-design businesses on the laptop/desktop end.
I wonder if they'll try at some point - there are a whole host of marketing and pricing risks to pursuing a "biz PC" strategy for Apple. But that last quarter of falling iPhone revenue is bound to make them look for growth alternatives. Might those iOS IBM SAP apps be a Trojan horse or sounding board, at little risk?
I think Apple conceded long ago that the business PC market was Windows based, and stuck to their design/graphics/video niche that wasn't. It is a better use of resources for them to try to become the Microsoft of tablets/smartphones in the business world.
Totally what I am saying as well. But Apple will need to meet investors' expectations.
Watches and TVs have been lukewarm successes so far. An Apple Car would add a lot of revenue IF it sold well. Imagine the opportunity for bling factor (that's sarcasm btw)! But surely they would be careful to hedge that bet.
Barring another unexpected gadget from them, trying to grow enterprise income is a possible, even likely, target. Windows 10 not being universally loved opens an opportunity there as well. And they certainly have the resources to throw at it nowadays. I think the main issue is that becoming part of everyone's office day carries a massive stodginess and un-sexiness risk for their premium-priced branding. No more PC vs Mac ads featuring a goofy looking accountant/IT dweeb vs a hipster.
Not nearly as bad as SAP B1, their disruptive* small-business treacle-as-a-service offering.
Utterly horrendous bit of beta thick-client software with dubious data structure, inane security and archaic GUI choices, designed with ground-up obfuscation to support the network of idiotic consultants who happily fork over their cash for training and certification based on the unspoken agreement that SAP will continue to obfuscate as much as possible.
*disruptive to the implementing business, not the marketplace
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