A 60 per cent rise on last year.
iPhone shipments hit 93 million in 2011, and the newly unveiled iPhone 5 is expected to send total shipments for the year rocketing by 60 per cent and smash past 149m, according to IHS.
Traditionally, whispers of a new iPhone approaching prompts consumers to stave off buying the current design, which was the case this year when Q3 shipments hit 26m and fell from Q2's 35.1m.
But the firm is expected to bounce back to record the biggest quarterly iPhone sales in history.
Daniel Gleeson, mobile analyst, IHS, said: "Unlike last year's release of the iPhone 4S, this year's iPhone 5 announcement comes as a significant departure from previous models.
"The addition of a new, larger screen is a fundamental change in product design. Furthermore, the iPhone 5 is the first member of Apple's smartphone line to feature 4G long term evolution (LTE) connectivity, accelerating data speeds dramatically compared to previous models. These major improvements will drive strong sales for the iPhone 5." Click here to see our coverage from last night's iPhone 5 unveiling.