Apple Expanding Best Buy Presence With Intel Macs? [Updatedx2]

ZDNet is reporting that Best Buy retail stores are beginning to stock and promote other Intel-based Macs in addition to already-stocked Mac Minis and iPods.

Best Buy, North America's largest consumer electronics retailer, and Apple are flogging the new MacBook units, as well as the MacBook Pro, Mac Mini and iMac systems, according to Samir Bhavnani, an analyst with Current Analysis. The Mac maker has prominent displays and units available in several Best Buy stores throughout the United States, he said.

Best Buy has been selling Apple's popular iPod music players and Mac Minis for some time, but the latest move represents a major expansion of Apple's retail efforts with Best Buy, as well as those outside of its own retail stores, Bhavnani said. [...] The move also shows that Apple is very confident about the inventory situation regarding its new Intel-based products, he said.

Best Buy originally began carrying Mac Mini's in its retail stores last year.

Update: While Best Buy's website does indeed show that Apple's laptops and consumer desktops are "Available at most stores", this label appears to be misleading as most stores outside of California do not appear to have stock of the machines (yet?).

Update 2: News.com has posted a photo gallery of a Best Buy store that is stocking and prominantly displaying Apple's complete lineup. Of note, a PowerMac is also among the display models, but was not reported to be among the latest initiative at the retail stores.