Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Segment Information (Details)

v3.6.0.2
Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
 3 Months Ended
Dec. 25, 2016
Dec. 27, 2015
Sep. 25, 2016
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 $ 5,999 $ 5,775  
Earnings before taxes 870 1,710  
Total assets 52,366   $ 52,359
Cost of revenues (2,443) (2,534)  
Research and development expense (1,311) (1,352)  
Selling, general and administrative expense (591) (578)  
Other expenses, net (876) 374  
Interest expense (90) (74)  
Investment income, net 182 99  
QCT [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 4,101 4,096  
Earnings before taxes 724 590  
Total assets 3,037   2,995
QTL [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 1,811 1,607  
Earnings before taxes 1,532 1,339  
Total assets 873   644
QSI [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 14 9  
Earnings before taxes (17) 359  
Total assets 956   910
Nonreportable Segments [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 73 64  
Earnings before taxes (79) (124)  
Reconciling Items [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 73 63  
Earnings before taxes (1,369) (578)  
Total assets 47,500   $ 47,810
Cost of revenues (95) (150)  
Research and development expense (269) (216)  
Selling, general and administrative expense (145) (127)  
Other expenses, net (876) (6)  
Interest expense (89) (70)  
Investment income, net 184 114  
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Revenues 0 (1)  
Earnings before taxes 0 1  
Cost of equipment and service revenues [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses 84 140  
Research and development expenses [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses 3 3  
Selling, general and administrative expenses [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]      
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]      
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses $ 61 $ 29