Top 10 IT empire downfalls Apple must heed despite iPhone 5 fervour

Nothing lasts for ever but right now it's hard to imagine a day when Apple won't be the darling of the technology world, where its products would be greeted with indifference by the market and its share price merely stagnates.

Right now, it commands endless coverage from media outlets of all shapes and sizes, breaks records with each subsequent product release and only this week has seen its share price break $700 and today sees the launch of the iPhone 5 to huge crowds of eager fans.

However, Apple would do well to remember the fate of many of its industry brethren who have occupied similarly heady positions in the market over the years only to find themselves suddenly looking out of date and antiquated when younger, faster rivals outperformed them.

No doubt Apple is aware of this, having come close to oblivion year ago, but even so, we thought we'd remind them of a few similar firms who probably never thought the days of plenty would ever end.

10. Kodak rests on its laurels for too long

Children will look incredulous when we explain the old way photographs had to be developed, using film that was taken to a chemists and then collected three days later.

For Kodak those were halcyon days, when it commanded huge revenues thanks to its market position as one of the main suppliers of film camera the world over.

However, once the digital revolution began it should have realised the jig was up and moved quickly to reposition itself as a printing company. But it failed to realise what was happening all around it and earlier this year filed for bankruptcy.

Compare this with FujiFilm, which saw the transition ahead of time and reacted accordingly, and now continues to proper in other markets such as displays, printing and imaging equipment.