Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Segment Information (Details)

v3.5.0.2
Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 25, 2016
Jun. 26, 2016
 [1]
Mar. 27, 2016
 [1]
Dec. 27, 2015
 [1]
Sep. 27, 2015
Jun. 28, 2015
 [1]
Mar. 29, 2015
 [1]
Dec. 28, 2014
 [1]
Sep. 25, 2016
Sep. 27, 2015
Sep. 28, 2014
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Segment reporting, Factors used to identify entity's reportable segments                 The Company is organized on the basis of products and services. The Company conducts business primarily through two reportable segments, QCT (Qualcomm CDMA Technologies) and QTL (Qualcomm Technology Licensing), and its QSI (Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives) reportable segment makes strategic investments and includes revenues and related costs associated with development contracts with an equity method investee    
Revenues $ 6,184 [1] $ 6,044 $ 5,551 $ 5,775 $ 5,456 [1] $ 5,832 $ 6,894 $ 7,099 $ 23,554 $ 25,281 $ 26,487
EBT                 6,833 6,487 8,778
Total assets 52,359       50,796       52,359 50,796 48,574
Equity method investments 324       163       324 163  
Net book value of long-lived assets 2,306       2,534       2,306 2,534  
Cost of revenues                 (9,749) (10,378) (10,686)
Research and development Expense                 (5,151) (5,490) (5,477)
Selling, general and administrative expense                 (2,385) (2,344) (2,290)
Other (expense) income                 226 (1,293) (484)
Interest expense                 (297) (104) (5)
Investment Income, net                 635 815 1,233
Reconciling Items [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 434 176 253
EBT                 (1,893) (2,786) (1,612)
Total assets 47,810       46,623       47,810 46,623 44,290
Cost of revenues                 (495) (314) (300)
Research and development Expense                 (799) (809) (860)
Selling, general and administrative expense                 (478) (497) (412)
Other (expense) income                 (154) (1,289) 142
Interest expense                 (292) (101) (2)
Investment Income, net                 667 855 1,215
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 (4) (5) (5)
EBT                 0 (1) 0
QCT [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 15,409 17,154 18,665
EBT                 1,812 2,465 3,807
Total assets 2,995       2,923       2,995 2,923 3,639
QTL [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 7,664 7,947 7,569
EBT                 6,528 6,882 6,590
Total assets 644       438       644 438 161
QSI [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 47 4 0
EBT                 386 (74) (7)
Total assets 910       812       910 812 484
Equity method investments 162       163       162 163 18
Nonreportable Segments [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 438 181 258
EBT                 (342) (630) (1,395)
China (including Hong Kong) [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 13,503 13,337 13,200
South Korea [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 3,918 4,107 6,172
Taiwan [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 2,846 3,294 2,876
United States [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 386 246 372
Net book value of long-lived assets 1,900       2,100       1,900 2,100 2,200
Other Foreign [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Revenues                 2,901 4,297 3,867
Non-US [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Net book value of long-lived assets $ 404       $ 414       404 414 288
Cost of revenues [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses                 434 272 251
Research and development expense [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses                 10 14 30
Selling, general and administrative expenses [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]                      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]                      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses                 $ 99 $ 72 $ 25
[1] Amounts, other than per share amounts, are rounded to millions each quarter. Therefore, the sum of the quarterly amounts may not equal the annual amounts reported.