Analysts at Forrester are predicting that the tablet revolution that began a couple of years ago with the debut of the iPad will culminate in the device becoming the primary computing device for most users by 2016.

Forrester researcher Frank Gillett yesterday published a forecast that predicts 375 million tablets will sell globally in 2016. That’s nearly double a recent forecast by IDC, which estimated 200 million tablets sold globally that year.

Gillett writes:

“Tablets aren’t the most powerful computing gadgets. But they are the most convenient.

“They’re bigger than the tiny screen of a smartphone, even the big ones sporting nearly 5-inch screens.

“They have longer battery life and always-on capabilities better than any PC — and will continue to be better at that than any ultrathin/book/Air laptop. That makes them very handy for carrying around and using frequently, casually, and intermittently even where there isn’t a flat surface or a chair on which to use a laptop. ”

Tags: blog, Forrester, Frank Gillett, prediction, Tablets