"The light bulb conspiracy is a theory that the leading manufacturers of incandescent light bulbs have conspired to keep the lifetime of their bulbs far below their real technological capabilities. This way, they ensure the continuous demand for more bulbs and hence, long-term profit for themselves."
http://conspiracy.wikia.com/wiki/Light_bulb_conspiracyLED bulbs have effectively laid this claim to rest with one proviso; estimates of LED bulb lifespan are only projected. Some manufacturers claim the new LED bulbs will last up to 25 years under normal household use, but this cannot (yet) be proven.
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