Could 2013 be the year that Apple doubles the color options of its flagship iPhone? That's what a new leak is suggesting, as Sonny Dickson today posted new photos of what he claims is a new gray/graphite version of the iPhone 5S. 

The images show a device that looks like the iPhone 5S units shown in other recent leaks, complete with a pill-shaped cutout for the phone's new dual-LED flash. However, rather than sporting a slate, silver or champagne back plate, this new unit features a gray backing that appears to be lighter than the one found on the existing black and slate iPhone 5. The top and bottom panels of the phone are black, as is its front plate. The outer edge of the handset is a lighter gray color that matches its backplate.

To date, Apple has only offered the iPhone in black and white color options, but several recent leaks have shown that that'll change this year with the introduction of a gold iPhone 5S. Now these new photos suggest that Apple may be planning to extend its smartphone family even further with a gray model. Obviously this fourth color is still a rumor at this point, as there's a chance that these parts are prototypes that won't launch, knockoffs or just black units under strategic lighting. However, it's also possible that because the gold iPhone 5S sports a white front, Apple has decided to add an additional black option to its iPhone 5S lineup as well.

Along with the new images of the purported gray/graphite iPhone 5S shell, repair shop mendmyi has shared images of what it claims to be the buttons from the rumored device. The image below shows the power button, volume rocker and mute switches of the black and white iPhone 5 models, and in-between them are parts that purportedly belong to the graphite and champagne iPhone 5S units. The graphite pieces are noticeably lighter than the buttons belonging to the slate iPhone 5.

Finally, YouTube user "macmixing" has posted a fairly lengthy video comparison of what is purportedly a gold/champagne iPhone 5S shell against the black and white iPhone 5 models. The clip doesn't offer much in the way of new information about the golden iPhone 5S, but it does give us another clear look at the upcoming device. A blue version of Apple's rumored lower-cost iPhone 5C also makes a few appearances later on in the video. The full clip is embedded below for your viewing pleasure.

Via MacRumors, Sonny Dickson, mendmyi, 9to5Mac, YouTube: macmixing