It's easy to get confused and hung up on trying to unravel all the details of the product line. I would suggest a more practical approach: Go where the opportunities are, go where the demand is. If you search the jobs on SearchSAP.com and you don't see any jobs listing what you want to focus on, then it's probably too far in the future and you need to combine that "next generation" skill with something that's in demand now. The key is to always add to the core with the cutting edge, forming a bridge between what is in demand now and what will be. Easier said than done, I know.

In terms of your question about getting skills exposure as an independent, I would say that many independents are able to build on their skills while on projects. There is a limit to that. For example, on a project as a consultant, a company won't pay you to switch from ABAP to Basis or from technical to functional. But if you choose your projects carefully, you should be able to find a project that draws on your ABAP skills but also gives you some exposure to "what's next" for SAP technically. Many other folks have done this, so keep being selective on your projects and go the extra mile once you land a good one, and I suspect you'll be able to push forward.