Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Segment Information (Details)

v3.7.0.1
Segment Information (Details) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Mar. 26, 2017
Mar. 27, 2016
Mar. 26, 2017
Mar. 27, 2016
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 $ 5,016 $ 5,551 $ 11,015 $ 11,326  
Earnings before taxes 857 1,470 1,727 3,180  
Total assets 56,079   56,079   $ 52,359
Cost of revenues (2,208) (2,141) (4,651) (4,675)  
Research and development expense (1,386) (1,301) (2,697) (2,653)  
Selling, general and administrative expense (615) (619) (1,206) (1,198)  
Other expenses, net (78) (75) (954) 299  
Interest expense (107) (72) (197) (145)  
Investment income, net 235 127 417 226  
QCT [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues 3,676 3,337 7,777 7,433  
Earnings before taxes 475 170 1,199 760  
Total assets 3,969   3,969   2,995
QTL [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues 2,249 2,135 4,060 3,742  
Earnings before taxes 1,959 1,857 3,492 3,195  
Total assets 2,232   2,232   644
QSI [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues 0 12 14 21  
Earnings before taxes 0 46 (17) 405  
Total assets 1,014   1,014   910
Nonreportable Segments [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues 65 68 138 132  
Earnings before taxes (108) (117) (189) (239)  
Reconciling Items [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues (909) 67 (836) 130  
Earnings before taxes (1,577) (603) (2,947) (1,180)  
Total assets 48,864   48,864   $ 47,810
Cost of revenues (119) (115) (213) (266)  
Research and development expense (277) (186) (546) (402)  
Selling, general and administrative expense (138) (125) (283) (252)  
Other expenses, net (78) (75) (954) (81)  
Interest expense (106) (71) (195) (143)  
Investment income, net 223 89 407 203  
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues 0 (1) 0 (2)  
Earnings before taxes 0 (3) 0 0  
Cost of equipment and service revenues [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses 106 105 191 246  
Research and development expenses [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses 12 2 14 5  
Selling, general and administrative expenses [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Unallocated acquisition-related expenses 57 28 118 57  
Blackberry [Member] | Reconciling Items [Member]          
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]          
Revenues $ (974) $ 0 $ (974) $ 0