Apple and SAP partner up, take on the enterprise app space

Two of the biggest players in the mobility space are teaming up to change the nature of the enterprise app game.

Apple and SAP have entered into a partnership to create new iOS apps for the iPhone and iPad, as well as a software development kit (SDK) and training academy so developers, partners and customers can build native apps that are tailored to their business.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO, says, "This partnership will transform how iPhone and iPad are used in enterprise by bringing together the innovation and security of iOS with SAP's deep expertise in business software.

"As the leader in enterprise software and with 76% of business transactions touching an SAP system, SAP is the ideal partner to help us truly transform how businesses around the world are run on iPhone and iPad.

"Through the new SDK, we're empowering SAP's more than 2.5 million developers to build powerful native apps that fully leverage SAP HANA Cloud Platform and tap into the incredible capabilities that only iOS devices can deliver," Cook says.

The CEO of SAP, Bill McDermott, says, "We're proud to take this special partnership between Apple and SAP to a groundbreaking new place.

He says, "In giving people an agile and intuitive business experience, we empower them to know more, care more and do more. By combining the powerful capabilities of SAP HANA Cloud Platform and SAP S/4HANA, together with iOS, the leading and most secure mobile platform for enterprise, we will help deliver live data to people wherever and whenever they choose to work. Apple and SAP share a commitment to shaping the future, helping the world run better and improving people's lives."

The companies plan to deliver a new SAP HANA Cloud Platform SDK exclusively for iOS that will provide businesses, designers and developers the tools to build their own iOS apps for iPhone and iPad, based on SAP HANA Cloud Platform, SAP's open platform as a service.

According to the company, these native apps will provide access to core data and business processes on SAP S/4HANA, while taking full advantage of iPhone and iPad features like Touch ID, Location Services and Notifications.

A new SAP Fiori for iOS design language will combine the current user experience with a consumer-grade iOS experience to deliver on the robust user needs in the enterprise and enable developers to build next-generation apps.

To help SAP's 2.5-million member global developer community take full advantage of the new SDK and Apple's hardware and software, a new SAP Academy for iOS will offer tools and training. The new SDK, design language and academy will begin rolling out before the end of the year, according to the company.

Furthermore, as a part of the partnership, SAP will develop native iOS apps for critical business operations. These apps for iPhone and iPad will be built with Swift, Apple's modern, secure and interactive programming language, and will offer a familiar user experience with the SAP Fiori for iOS design language.