RIM @ SAP Sapphire

**b121** · 05-17-2012, 04:45 AM

Hi Crackberrry Nation,

I was down at sapphire this week (SAP's large US convention) and got the chance for a quick stop by the RIM booth.

I thought I'd share what they were talking about for anyone with interest.

sorry, no pics.

1. Had a black porsche concept car with the integrated qnx gui. Pretty cool

2. Mobile fusion, balance, work app distribution

3. Big push on nfc, with statement it would be in all devices moving forward. Showing read/write adhesive tags, HID security access, payment feature (euro style), hotel key and other such use cases (also showed low battery consumption)

4. Showed BOBJ dashboards and various use cases on the PB

5. One of the guys had an alpha dev bb10 (no, didn't ask to try it). Said they are targeting a "Fall" release.

Just an fyi for anyone interested. If you saw or heard something else, please feel free to chime in.

**BaconMunch** · 05-17-2012, 09:19 AM

Thanks for the update. I'm happy to see them continue to focus on enterprise and would like to see RIM lead the charge on NFC in North America (work with security systems, hotels, mobile payment, and include free NFC tag samples with all new BB10 devices.

**araskin** · 05-17-2012, 07:51 PM

Just got back from the same show. Things didn't look good for RIM.
1. SAP only had 2 BB devices on display but at least 10 times that many number of iOS devices. Guess that makes sense since SAP has a competing product to Fusion.
2. Every company I spoke to has either removed or is in the process of removing BB.

We love the BB product but I am very nervous for them.

Alon

**CairnsRock** · 05-17-2012, 09:29 PM

Unless SAP have changed, which I very much doubt, then they don't care a toss about Apple, never mind about RIM.

**araskin** · 05-18-2012, 08:09 PM

SAP care very much about Apple. They rolled out a sqiullion iPads internally and not a single PB. I think that says it all. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones. I felt good about RIM after BB World but after Sapphire I am very afraid for them.

**hpjrt** · 05-18-2012, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by araskin

Just got back from the same show. Things didn't look good for RIM.
1. SAP only had 2 BB devices on display but at least 10 times that many number of iOS devices. Guess that makes sense since SAP has a competing product to Fusion.
2. Every company I spoke to has either removed or is in the process of removing BB.

We love the BB product but I am very nervous for them.

Alon

Were you and the OP at the same event?!

**CairnsRock** · 05-18-2012, 08:36 PM

Originally Posted by araskin

SAP care very much about Apple. They rolled out a sqiullion iPads internally and not a single PB. I think that says it all. Unfortunately, they are not the only ones. I felt good about RIM after BB World but after Sapphire I am very afraid for them.

Hi araskin, was commenting wrt SAP selling and mktg devices. Using them internally is an entirely different matter. I should have explained myself more fully.

**redk** · 05-18-2012, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by hpjrt

Were you and the OP at the same event?!

I was thinking the same thing

**ALToronto** · 05-18-2012, 10:40 PM

I checked out SAP's website, and all their mobile apps are for iOS devices. There is no mention of BB whatsoever. And yet a SAP guy was right next to Alec Saunders at the BB10 Jam keynote in Orlando. I don't know what to make of this.

**b121** · 05-18-2012, 10:49 PM

Hey guys,

So, my orginal post was about RIM's messaging at their booth, rather than the later post about their prevelance and adoption event wide. I think its valuable to understand how RIM wants to be positioned, dispite their challenges with execution.

With that being said, there were perhaps 10 tables with mobile devices for hands-on demos of various SAP mobility capabilities. I was pleasently supprised to see the playbook represented at all on display

(due to my low expectations), even if at a 1:10 ratio to other devices. Unfortunately, I also had to ask the staff to turn off the password that was set on a couple of them.

Hope this clarifies some. I'm still pulling for them!

**mithrazor** · 05-18-2012, 11:48 PM

Originally Posted by ALToronto

I checked out SAP's website, and all their mobile apps are for iOS devices. There is no mention of BB whatsoever. And yet a SAP guy was right next to Alec Saunders at the BB10 Jam keynote in Orlando. I don't know what to make of this.

That SAP will be supporting RIM on future BB platforms.

**araskin** · 05-19-2012, 07:03 AM

Originally Posted by b121

Hey guys,

So, my orginal post was about RIM's messaging at their booth, rather than the later post about their prevelance and adoption event wide. I think its valuable to understand how RIM wants to be positioned, dispite their challenges with execution.

With that being said, there were perhaps 10 tables with mobile devices for hands-on demos of various SAP mobility capabilities. I was pleasently supprised to see the playbook represented at all on display

(due to my low expectations), even if at a 1:10 ratio to other devices. Unfortunately, I also had to ask the staff to turn off the password that was set on a couple of them.

Hope this clarifies some. I'm still pulling for them!

I am still pulling for RIM too. I just don't think that SAP is. They still need RIM and RIM still needs them but it's clear that SAP's strategy is to put up with RIM until they become insignificant in the enterprise. I base this opinion on a million things that SAP does like:

1. Rarely mention of BB or PB in literature or webinar. It's like RIM does not exist. When SAP at BB world in the keynote I never saw one mention of it in any of the SAP newsletters or press releases.
2. As you said the ratio of BB devices to other devices was about 1:10. It's like RIM is no longer a significant player in the enterprise any more.
3. I didn't see the PB that you saw but I did find 2 BB smartphones. Unfortunately they were both locked and could not see what apps are available.

There are some other things that unfortunately I am unable to discuss due to NDA considerations.

I hope RIM makes a stunning comeback but right now it looks like even their big partners are paying lip service to them.

**ALToronto** · 05-19-2012, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by mithrazor

That SAP will be supporting RIM on future BB platforms.

I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling about this. In a past life, I was a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and they implemented SAP in a lot of big companies. Now, 10 years later, SAP is running not only the computer networks, but the mobile devices as well, and SAP is infamous for dictating to clients how to adapt to it, rather than the other way around. So if SAP is telling clients to get a bunch of iDevices, the clients will obey.

Then again, Thorsten's german roots may help build a new relationship. We can only hope.

**araskin** · 05-19-2012, 10:57 PM

I doubt SAP are selling iDevices. I think this comes down to selling Afaria licenses (which is a competitor to Fusion).

**mithrazor** · 05-20-2012, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by ALToronto

I hope you're right, but I have a bad feeling about this. In a past life, I was a consultant with PricewaterhouseCoopers, and they implemented SAP in a lot of big companies. Now, 10 years later, SAP is running not only the computer networks, but the mobile devices as well, and SAP is infamous for dictating to clients how to adapt to it, rather than the other way around. So if SAP is telling clients to get a bunch of iDevices, the clients will obey.

Then again, Thorsten's german roots may help build a new relationship. We can only hope.

Well we did see SAP showcase what they had been doing at the BB10 Jam Keynote. Plus I think they're developing in HTML5. So supporting multiple platforms shouldn't be too hard for them.