I think we need to articulate how PowerBuilder will fit in SAP's overall product vision for Mobile, Web, Cloud and Enterprise apps. SAP is promoting SAP UI5 (Javascript, HTML, CSS based Web UI framework) for the user interface. For the middle business logic tier, it promotes a combination of ABAP and Java based frameworks hosted in Net weaver App server. What is missing is a proposition of how Native apps will fit in the SAP's technology landscape and how PB can help in this front.
Here are some use cases where Powerbuilder can fit:
1. Some business use cases can be fulfilled only by a Native app. Eg. Facebook, Linkedin native apps. Powerbuilder can fit here and can be used a Cross platform Native App development tool that can be deployed in all OS platforms. Currently, Native development is pre-dominantly in Java, .NET, Objective-C etc. and Powerbuilder can fill this gap for SAP requirements. Given, PB's 4GL RAD capabilities, it is clearly a winner on this front.
2. Powerbuilder can be used as a tool for building powerful Predictive Analytics apps that require rich and responsive UI and embedded functionality that can work with HANA. Business objects and Success Factors tools are primarily for Reporting, whereas, Powerbuilder can fit in as a Custom App development tool for this kind of use cases.
3. Powerbuilder with Appeon will literally make it readily available on any form factor. This can make custom PB apps to be deployed in virtually every possible environment.
Hope SAP can understand the value that Powerbuilder brings based on this three scenarios. I think we need to really understand the value of Powerbuilder vis-a-vis other tools in the SAP technology stack currently.I find PB far superior to the rest in terms of functionality and what it can achieve from a developer standpoint. Hope SAP understands this. If not, there needs to be a independent evaluation by a Technology evaluation firm to really make them understand this.