SAP sets end date for mobile platform

SAP is set to call time on its on-premises mobile middleware software, advising customers to consider shifting to its newer cloud-based services instead.

Senior product manager Martin Grasshoff revealed in a blog post that mainstream maintenance on the SAP mobile platform would expire at the end of 2020.

SAP's mobile platform acts as middleware between core data sources and mobile devices.

It was formerly known as Sybase’s unwired platform. SAP bought Sybase in May 2010.

Grasshoff said customers had two options: either take out “customer specific maintenance” to continue using the product without seeing any new features, or migrate the “landscape” into SAP cloud platform mobile services.

Migration was strongly urged as it aligns with SAP’s business direction over the past year to refocus around cloud.

“While you still get improvements on SAP mobile platform [for the next three years], our product roadmap is focusing on innovations on SAP cloud platform mobile services,” Grasshoff said.

“If you want to benefit from these features, you need to get them in the cloud.”

SAP's cloud platform is the vendor’s platform-as-a-service offering, and can be hosted on a range of SAP and non-SAP infrastructure-as-a-service.

John Moy, a co-founder and director at Melbourne-based SAP consultancy Blue T, said the shutdown was “inevitable”.

“Finally the inevitable has happened. End of days for SAP’s on-premise mobile platform,” he tweeted in response to the news.

Update, February 8th: SAP revised its blog post since publication, stating its commitment to invest in mobility as well as the SAP mobile platform.

"SAP will continue to deliver incremental quality enhancements to customers’ existing on-premises investments in SAP mobile platform per SAP terms and conditions. All customers with active maintenance agreements can expect the SAP Mobile Platform to be supported per SAP guidelines," it said.