Blingy gold iPhone casing crops up in pics, likely for 5S

Joining the slew of photos that may or may not be Apple's next iPhone (or iPhones) are a new set showing off a gold color, likely headed for the iPhone 5S.

French Apple site Macboutic posted a handful of shots of a gold colored iPhone rear casing -- the very basic (but important) part where the components are placed and what makes up the back and sides of the device. It also posted shots of what it claims to be the new proximity sensor for the 5S, the component that turns off the screen when you bring the phone up to your face to make a call.

The photos, which were spotted by Engadget, come on the heels of a report from KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst with some Apple prediction cred, who recently claimed Apple was working on a "champagne" color for its next iPhone. There was alsoa report over the weekend by Japanese Apple blog Macotakara noting murmurs of a gold color, as well as a change to the home button to get rid of the iconic "squircle" that's been on every iOS device since the first iPhone.

Macboutic notes that it edited the photos to remove the Apple logo and iPhone moniker from the back, presumably to keep its source safe.

A gold color for the iPhone would be a first for Apple, which has only ever offered the device in white and black since the second-generation 3G version. That hasn't stopped myriad companies from offering aftermarket gold treatments, sometimes using real gold itself. One of the first companies to offer such a service was Goldstriker, which announced a 24 carat gold plated iPhone just four months after the device came out. The company now charges £2,895, or about $4,520 for a gold version of the iPhone 5.

Apple is widely expected to unveil its next iPhone at an event on September 10. The company has not announced any such plans yet. Its current model, the iPhone 5 was announced at an event on September 12, 2012.

Watch this: Are you ready for a September 10th iPhone event

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