SAP simplifies work and empowers the mobile workforce

SAP plans to deliver SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS on March 30, giving developers the tools needed to build powerful enterprise apps for iPhone and iPad. Developers can now register for the SAP Academy for iOS to get the necessary training to create their own native apps. Additionally, early adopter customers have already seen improvements in their business with iOS built on SAP’s platforms. These announcements were made at Mobile World Congress being held February 27–March 2 in Barcelona, Spain.

“As promised, SAP is delivering real-time enterprise software to iOS devices, transforming core work processes for companies of all sizes with powerful native apps built specifically for iPhone and iPad,” said Bernd Leukert, member of the Executive Board, SAP SE, Products & Innovation. “Customers, partners and SAP can now quickly develop apps that deliver data with the cutting-edge capabilities of SAP Cloud Platform and SAP S/4HANA. The partnership comes at the right time for our customers as more and more companies build their mobile strategies around iOS.”

Susan Prescott, Vice President of Product Marketing, Apple, said: “When we set out on this partnership with SAP, we knew we had an incredible opportunity to transform how people around the world work by combining the innovation and security of iOS with SAP’s leadership in enterprise software. We’re already seeing the impact that the combination of iOS and SAP brings to businesses to enable better, more efficient and effective processes across industries. Now even more developers will be able to take advantage of the new SDK, and we can’t wait to see how they transform their businesses.”

SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS to Empower Millions of Developers with Enterprise-Grade Tools
SAP Cloud Platform SDK for iOS aims to give developers, designers, and businesses around the world the tools and scalability they need to quickly and efficiently build powerful enterprise-grade apps for iPhone and iPad, based on SAP Cloud Platform and built-in Swift, Apple’s modern programming language. The software development kit (SDK) is also intended to provide a rich library of prebuilt user experience (UX) components and easier access to innovative device capabilities — such as Touch ID, location services and notifications — to accelerate app development and increase adoption.

The new SDK is designed to enable developers to leverage mobile services and other capabilities of SAP Cloud Platform, providing enterprise features like single sign-on, offline data synchronization and enhanced supportability to fulfill the complex requirements of today’s digital enterprises. The SDK is intended to be complemented with innovative tools to identify available UX building blocks, existing enterprise services and application programming interfaces (APIs) to access SAP S/4HANA and other third-party systems, and to generate code snippets to reduce complexity and let the developers focus on creating apps that deliver incredible user experiences.

SAP Academy for iOS Available to Enable and Expand the Developer Ecosystem

Engaging the power of the global developer community of 2.5 mn SAP developers and 13 mn Apple developers, SAP Academy for iOS is now available with initial training and workshops. A global rollout is planned for later this year. To complement the new SDK and SAP Fiori for iOS design language, Apple and SAP have jointly developed the first set of offerings as part of the SAP Academy for iOS curriculum and courses. The courses aim to provide mobile developers and designers with knowledge, tools, education and training needed to build a new class of mobile apps that take full advantage of the new SDK, SAP Cloud Platform, SAP Fiori for iOS and the latest features of Apple hardware and software. The learning journey for mobile developers within SAP Academy for iOS provides a suggested learning path along with related learning assets. It will be updated regularly as new offers and additional roles are added.

SAP Developing Native iOS Apps for Industries

SAP is currently building native iOS apps for industries ranging from manufacturing to retail, designed to transform core work processes. The first of these, the SAP Project Companion mobile app with versions for managers and for consultants, developed for professional services, is planned for release March 30 and aims to improve collaboration within project teams on iPhone and iPad. The apps plan to integrate through SAP Cloud Platform into the SAP S/4HANA Professional Services Cloud solution, taking advantage of real-time data and dramatically simplifying the experience for consultants, project managers and other users who are typically on the go..

As a core asset of the partnership, SAP Fiori for iOS design language simplifies the user experience by combining a consumer-grade iOS experience with business user needs in the enterprise, and enables developers to build next-generation apps.

Early Adopter Customers Already Seeing Benefits of Apple and SAP Partnership

Various businesses around the world are participating in the early adopter program for the SDK and are already realizing benefits. The collaboration between Apple and SAP makes it simpler for users to build transformative mobile apps to consume and use their most critical data on iPhone and iPad devices and digitally transform their processes with enterprise mobility. By redefining the customer experience, Apple and SAP are enabling businesses to access real-time information from anywhere and helping companies like Burberry provide an improved user experience for their own customers. Burberry, a long-standing partner of Apple and SAP, has used iPad and iPhones as in-store devices since 2012, enabling it to quickly and easily anticipate and respond to customer needs in real time.

King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia (KAUST) is both an academic campus and a city. Students, staff and faculty all live in the community with their families. To serve the diverse needs of this community, the strategy was to create a series of apps to support and improve all aspects of life and work.

“The iOS SDK will help us compete with other universities by providing the best experience for both our students and professors in addition to a top-notch education,” said Abdulmajeed Serajuddin, the manager of IT enterprise applications at KAUST. “Innovapptive, an SAP partner, is working with us through all the critical steps of implementation.”

FunderMax is one of Europe’s leading suppliers of derived timber products and decorative laminates. The company has three production facilities in Austria, with more than 1,050 dedicated employees passionate about quality. FunderMax is committed to using digital technologies to transform its sales processes as well as how it collaborates with its channel partners such as architects and retailers.

“We are transforming the way construction materials providers work with architects,” said Hartwig Schwarzlmüller, vice president of FunderMax. “At FunderMax, we strive for the perfect user experience, and Apple and SAP are enabling us to do just that with the help of our strategic partner Atos.”