Are LASER weapons going to replace conventional firearms or will they be used as precision weapons?

They wont be precision weapons if the Stormtroopers get a hold of them. Nor the Red Shirts from the Enterprise.

Lasers have limited uses because they work by burning like we did with magnifying glasses as kids. Useful for precision shots over great distances against fragile targets, but that's about it.

I'm still waiting on Plasma. Lots of heat and explosive energy transfer. Plasma is where it's at!

They will replace firearms just as firearms replaced the bow and arrow, which replaced the spear.