Chinese accessories retailer iPhone5Mod has just unveiled a new accessory for the iPhone 5: an ultrathin keyboard and controller called the EX Hybrid Controller.

The retailer is one of several third-party accessory makers that have made unauthorized versions of Apple's new Lightning connector, offering a number of accessories, cables, and adapters for Apple device owners.

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With its latest EX Hybrid Controller creation, iPhone5Mod makes the iPhone 5 look surprisingly similar to the Sony Xperia Play.

The new product, the $49.90 EX Hybrid Controller, comes in the form of a thick back cover for the handset. The accessory attaches magnetically to a pair of 2mm-thick(0.07-inch) aluminum plates. One of the plates offers a keyboard, while the other sports gamepad controls. Moreover, the plates also incorporate integrated batteries that last for up to 40 hours of active use and 160 hours of standby on a single 60-minute charge. The package includes a separate charging station for the plates.

"Finally a hybrid solution for iPhone gamers and office users in the works. The Hybrid Controller is the next generation keyboard/ joypad for your iPhone - and you just might find that this idea is untraditionally creative," reads the product description. "Whether you're a gamer, blogger or even an office user, we might have the perfect solution for taking your old tired keyboards to the next level.By using our iPhone 5 Back Case, you can detach the qwerty keyboard from the iPhone entirely as you wish and switch to a Joypad controller for playing games. The interchangeability is made always possible, as iPhone features multiple Bluetooth peripheral use."

The product description further claims the keyboard as the first of its kind, and also the lightest and thinnest keyboard ever made for an iPhone. In addition, the accessory supports both landscape and portrait mode, and is also water- and dust-proof.

The game controller, meanwhile, sports a physical D-pad and seven front-facing buttons. According to iPhone5Mod, the EX Hybrid Controller's D-Pad will work with "all" games, while its other buttons will reportedly work with any games that support additional function keys.

The Ex Hybrid Controller is available in either black or white. Those interested in spicing up their iPhone 5 can purchase the new keyboard/controller accessory for $49.90 from iPhone4Mod's Web site.

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