With rumors that Apple’s iPhone 5 will launch in early October (should be any day now) and Samsung’s American launch of the Galaxy S II (it has been available in European and Asian Markets since earlier this year) – the average cell phone user is probably wondering – which is the device for me?

The world of “apps,” touchscreens, and data can be a bit overwhelming. Here’s a comparison between the two major competitors – the iPhone and the Galaxy S by Samsung.

Because Apple has not yet launched any specifics about the iPhone 5, this comparison is between the iPhone 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S II– the most current versions of the two phones available in the market now.

Size: The iPhone 4 rings in at 4.5 inches x 2.31 inches x .37 inches. The Galaxy S II rings in at 4.93 x 2.60 x 0.33. The iPhone 4 weighs 4.8 ounces. The Galaxy S II weighs in at 4.09 ounces. So – what does that actually mean? The Samsung Galaxy S II has a bigger screen, is slightly slimmer (it’ll fit more comfortably in your pocket!) and weighs slightly less than the iPhone 4.

Processor/Memory: The iPhone 4 has 512MB of RAM, while the Samsung Galaxy S II has 1GB or 1024MB of RAM. So pretty much, in non-techie terms, that means that the Samsung Galaxy S II allows you twice as much room to play as the iPhone 4 – that means you can stream a TV show while uploading pictures to Facebook while checking your email. Multi-tasking is definitely still possible on the iPhone 4, but programs take more time to buffer or to load.

Camera Capabilities: The Galaxy S II has a rear-facing eight megapixel camera, complete with flash. It also has a font-facing two megapixel camera. The iPhone 4 has a five megapixel rear-facing camera with flash, as well as 1.3 megapixel rear-facing camera, great for snapping pictures of one ’s self. While both will do the job well, the pictures taken with Samsung Galaxy S II will be slightly more crisp, clear and defined.

Battery Life: The Samsung Galaxy S II claims it’ll last about nine hours of talk time while on 3G, while the iPhone 4 says it’ll last up to seven hours of 3G talk time. (Of course, if a user watches movies, surfs the net and sends/receives emails, this time will vary.)

Video Recording: The iPhone 4 allows for pretty decent video recording capability. Specs are 720p at 30FSP. (The 720p refers to how many horizontal lines appear across the screen to make up the image. The more lines – the better the picture. “FSP” refers to “frames per second.”) The Galaxy S II allows for full HD recording and playback at 1080p at 30FPS.

The Fun Stuff: Both Apple’s iPhone 4 and the Samsung Galaxy S II are available in black or white, although availability of both colors tends to vary by retail location. The iPhone 4 has access to iTunes for downloading content such as movies, music and TV shows while the Galaxy S II has access to Samsung’s Music Hub and Amazon’s MP3, which has taken the lead with its free cloud streaming service. Itunes is due to release its version of cloud storage called iCloud at the iPhone 5 premier. (Cloud streaming means your music is stored on the internet, not on your handset. With cloud service, you can play music using any device that has access to the worldwide web. One of major benefits is that if you lose your cell phone, you don’t lose your music collection.) Both iTunes and Music Hub serve basically the same purpose, though provide some differing features. Which is “better,” is, at this point, still a matter of opinion. Apple users have access to hundreds of thousands of applications via Apple’s App Store, while Samsung users have 2 options: the Google Android Market and Samsung’s Marketplace. Both the Android Market and Samsung Marketplace are less-regulated platforms that allow for more open-source sharing of applications.

The Verdict: It really depends what you are looking for. If a sleeker, less bulky phone with a larger screen appeals to you – the Galaxy S II may be for you. If it’s video or camera capability, processor and memory capability or battery life – again, it looks like the Galaxy S II might be your choice. Both the iPhone 4 and Galaxy S II are available in black or white, and both have similar access to apps, music, movies and TV shows through their respective storefronts.

Where to Buy: Apple’s iPhone is available at several retail locations in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with service provided directly by AT&T and Verizon. Right now, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Samsung’s Galaxy S II is being sold exclusively by Innovative Wireless but is rumored to launch later this year at AT&T.