New Delhi, Feb 29 (IANS): A rise in discussions related to "Apple" among influencers on the "X" platform has been witnessed in the last week of February after reports emerged about Apple's decision to discontinue its electric vehicle (EV) project, a new report revealed on Thursday.

According to the leading data and analytics company GlobalData, influencers expressed mixed sentiments on Apple's EV project cancellation, with some viewing it as a wise reallocation of its focus towards artificial intelligence (AI).

"Though the move is expected to impact employees and bring about a change in industry dynamics, there is speculation that Apple may still impact the automotive sector through software and services rather than manufacturing," said Smitarani Tripathy, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData.

A few popular influencer opinions captured by the report are - "I have lost the count of how many times we have heard about #AppleCar project starting, halting & closing. Hope this is the last. Another reason for @Apple choosing to shutter the project is #ElectricVehicles losing sheen & revival of interest in #Hybrid & ICE cars... where $aapl will find it hard to differentiate," said Prakash Sangam, Founder of Tantra Analyst.

"Big New in Tech: @Apple car project cancelled. Perhaps it's a sigh of relief for @Tesla and many other automakers. IMO Apple should buy @Ford and revamp it!" Sarbjeet Johal, Technology Analyst and GTM Strategist mentioned.

Reaction from John Voelcker, Contributing Editor at Car and Driver Magazine stated: "Apple Inc will cancel its decade-long effort to build an #EV, abandoning one of the most ambitious projects in its history. The company disclosed the decision today, surprising nearly 2,000 employees working on the project. Hot Take: It NEVER made sense."