Apple is expected to unveil the next-generation iPhone on Sept. 12, and already analysts are projecting the new smartphone will sell an estimated 10 million units in its first week on the market.  

The device is expect to ship Sept. 21. All Things D is claiming that Wall Street expects Apple to report sales of between 22 million to 23 million new iPhone 5 models during the September quarter, and maybe even more.

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicts the iPhone 5 could sell 26 million to 28 million units for the period, with the majority sold in the first week of the phone's initial release, according to the article. "We believe that if the 21st is the actual ship date, Apple could sell 6 million to 10 million iPhone 5s in the final week of September barring supply issues," Munster estimates.

Meanwhile, ZDNet reports that Apple sold 1.7 million iPhone 4 models in the three days following its release date, and sold more than four million iPhone 4S devices a year later over the first weekend of release for that version. Though the iPhone 5 sales estimates are considerably higher than those of its predecessors, there are reasons to believe consumers will make the upgrade, some say.

Zack Whittaker, in an article for ZDNet published Wednesday, said he believes most consumers are waiting for the new iPhone to upgrade. That rush could tip into Munster's estimates, Whittaker writes.

Nonetheless, Apple has sent out invitations for a Sept. 12 event, which is presumably about the new device. The invitation is titled "it's almost here" and features a large, black numeral "12" above a more subtle, grey numeral "5."

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