Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions (Details)

v3.5.0.2
Acquisitions (Details)
$ in Millions
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 24, 2017
Sep. 25, 2016
USD ($)
businesses
projects
Sep. 27, 2015
USD ($)
businesses
projects
Sep. 28, 2014
USD ($)
businesses
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period   10 years 10 years  
Goodwill   $ 5,679 [1] $ 5,479 [1] $ 4,488
QCT [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill   4,674 [1] 4,461 [1] 3,467
QTL [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill   718 [1] 718 [1] 712
Nonreportable Segments [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill   $ 287 [1] $ 300 [1] 309
Technology-based [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period   10 years 10 years  
Customer-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period   7 years 4 years  
Marketing-related [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Weighted-average amortization period   8 years 8 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  
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] | 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  
Number of in-process research and development projects | projects   2 3  
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  
2015 Acquisition [Member] | Completed in-process research and development [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Number of in-process research and development projects | projects   1    
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life   7 years    
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Number of businesses acquired | businesses   4 4 11
Goodwill   $ 172 $ 289 $ 624
Goodwill, Expected Tax Deductible Amount   24 35 294
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired   392 405 761
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | QCT [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Goodwill   172 29 589
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
Series of Individually Immaterial Business Acquisitions [Member] | Technology-based [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Intangible assets subject to amortization:   $ 257 $ 84 $ 146
Weighted-average amortization period   4 years 8 years 6 years
TDK [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Agreed Percentage of Voting Interests upon Acquisition   51.00%    
Agreed Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Interest   49.00%    
Agreed Payments to Acquire Businesses, Gross   $ 1,200    
Agreed exercise price of option to purchase/sell ownership interest   $ 1,150    
Time period after which option becomes exercisable   30 months    
Maximum amount paid to noncontrolling interest in lieu of distributions   $ 200    
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | 2015 Acquisition [Member] | Completed in-process research and development [Member]        
Business Acquisition [Line Items]        
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life 6 years      
[1] Cumulative goodwill impairments were $537 million and $520 million at September 25, 2016 and September 27, 2015, respectively.