Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions (Details)

v3.3.0.814
Acquisitions (Details)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 27, 2015
USD ($)
businesses
Sep. 28, 2014
USD ($)
businesses
Sep. 29, 2013
USD ($)
businesses
Aug. 13, 2015
USD ($)
projects
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 5,479 [1] $ 4,488 [1] $ 3,976  
Weighted-average amortization period 10 years 11 years    
QCT [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 4,461 [1] $ 3,467 [1] 2,875  
QTL [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill 718 [1] 712 [1] 706  
Nonreportable Segments [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill $ 300 [1] $ 309 [1] 395  
Technology-based [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period 10 years 11 years    
Customer-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period 4 years 6 years    
Marketing-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period 8 years 9 years    
2015 Acquisition [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Effective Date of Acquisition Aug. 13, 2015      
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired $ 2,300      
Cash Acquired from Acquisition 176      
Acquisition related costs $ 28      
Current Assets       $ 560
Other assets       131
Total assets       2,855
Liabilities       (411)
Net assets acquired       $ 2,444
Number of in-process research and development projects | projects       3
In-process research and development estimated completion period 9 months      
In-process research and development estimated costs to complete projects       $ 19
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]        
Pro Forma Revenue $ 25,939 $ 27,282    
Pro Forma Net income attributable to Qualcomm $ 5,157 7,730    
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
In-process research and development estimated useful life upon completion 6 years      
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
In-process research and development estimated useful life upon completion 7 years      
2015 Acquisition [Member] | QCT [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill       969
2015 Acquisition [Member] | In-process research and development (IPR&D) [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
In-process research and development (IPR&D)       182
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Technology-based [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Intangible assets subject to amortization:       953
Weighted-average amortization period 5 years      
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Customer-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Intangible assets subject to amortization:       45
Weighted-average amortization period 4 years      
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Marketing-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Intangible assets subject to amortization:       $ 15
Weighted-average amortization period 4 years      
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired $ 405 $ 761 $ 114  
Number of businesses acquired | businesses 4 11 5  
Goodwill $ 289 $ 624 $ 83  
Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount 35 294 21  
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | QCT [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill 29 589 65  
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | QTL [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill 6 6    
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | Nonreportable Segments [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill 254 29 18  
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | Technology-based [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Intangible assets subject to amortization: $ 84 $ 146 $ 24  
Weighted-average amortization period 8 years 6 years 6 years  
[1] Cumulative goodwill impairments were $520 million and $260 million at September 27, 2015 and September 28, 2014