I used to think that Apache would live on forever...
It's good at what it does, LAMP ( Linux, Apache, mySQL, PHP ) stacks pretty much built the foundation upon, what most of the internet is ( still ) using. I was even skeptical of newer servers trying to improve this foundation, as I had learned in my tech career, almost everything in strictly Apache.
But, then came Nginx!
My first experiences with nginx ( Pronounced engine-x ) came about a year and a half ago. It was not that bad of a learning curve, considering I was already quite comfortable and competent in fixing issues in Apache. I actually found it to be almost as easy as Apache to pick up. Even adding server blocks ( comparable to virtual hosts in Apache, is a breeze ). Now, keep in mind, Nginx was initially created to solve the issue of Apache not being able to handle over 10 thousand concurrent connections. Igor Sysoev impressed everyone, when it was shown that Nginx, not only easily handled that amount of traffic, but it did it with ease. In fact, even at low amounts of concurrent connections, Nginx will always deliver speeds of nearly 2 times of that of Apache!
Also compatibility wise, Apache takes the cake here, as it's compatible with almost everything, but then again, most servers are utilizing a Linux or Unix type of platform. Whereas, Nginx, has some support for other platforms it is mostly intended for Linux.Now, don't get me wrong, Apache will always have a place in my heart ( can never truly forget .htaccess love ), but eventually long term, we may see it get phased out. Apache still remains a very powerful tool in terms of serving, there are just other options that may surpass it in the future. Hell, something may even surpass Nginx, you never know! You can even use the two in conjunction with each other. It's all about finding the shoe that fits best for your needs!