SAP AG says it is trialing links between its enterprise resource planning suite and mobile handheld devices running either Palm Computing’s PalmOS, or Microsoft’s windows CE. The Walldorf, Germany said that applications offering mobile handheld links service management and purchase order modules will be commercially available some time next year.
Robert Wenig, SAPÆs director of advanced technology, confidently expects all of SAP’s 20,000 customers to purchase the applications. Wenig estimates that the handheld market, including mobiles and personal digital assistants, is 10 times the size of SAP’s desktop market by unit numbers, which should provide a substantial revenue stream for the Walldorf company, even if WenigÆs expectations are optimistic.
SAP fended off suggestions that this was a response to PsionÆs deal last month to make Oracle ERP data available on the EPOC operating system (CI No 3,777), saying that its agreement with Palm and Microsoft was signed over a month ago and that Psion was if anything, the follower and not the leader.
