Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Basis of Presentation Share-Based Compensation Expense (Details)

v2.4.1.9
Basis of Presentation Share-Based Compensation Expense (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Dec. 28, 2014
Dec. 29, 2013
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes $ 273,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense $ 281,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Related income tax benefit (44,000,000)us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense (55,000,000)us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Share-based compensation expense, net of income taxes 229,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpenseNetOfTax 226,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpenseNetOfTax
Share-based compensation expense related to share-based awards granted during period 31,000,000qcom_ShareBasedCompensationExpenseRelatedToShareBasedAward 31,000,000qcom_ShareBasedCompensationExpenseRelatedToShareBasedAward
Cost of equipment and services revenues    
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes 12,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
12,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
Research and development    
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes 174,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
173,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
Selling, general and administrative    
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Share-based compensation expense before income taxes 87,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
96,000,000us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis
= us-gaap_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesMember
Restricted Stock [Member]    
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Unrecognized compensation costs related to non-vested restricted stock units $ 1,500,000,000us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationNonvestedAwardsTotalCompensationCostNotYetRecognized
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
 
Weighted average period over which unrecognized compensation expense related to nonvested restricted stock units is expected to be recognized 2 years  
Equity Compensation Plans Consolidated [Member]    
Schedule Of Employee Service Share Based Compensation Allocation Of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]    
Net share based awards granted in fiscal year as percent of total outstanding stock at beginning of fiscal period 0.40%qcom_NetShareBasedAwardsGrantedInFiscalYearAsPercentOfTotalOutstandingStockAtBeginningOfFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= qcom_EquityCompensationPlansConsolidatedMember
0.40%qcom_NetShareBasedAwardsGrantedInFiscalYearAsPercentOfTotalOutstandingStockAtBeginningOfFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= qcom_EquityCompensationPlansConsolidatedMember
Total share based awards granted in fiscal year as percent of total outstanding stock at end of fiscal period 0.40%qcom_TotalShareBasedAwardsGrantedInFiscalYearAsPercentOfTotalOutstandingStockAtEndOfFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= qcom_EquityCompensationPlansConsolidatedMember
0.50%qcom_TotalShareBasedAwardsGrantedInFiscalYearAsPercentOfTotalOutstandingStockAtEndOfFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_PlanNameAxis
= qcom_EquityCompensationPlansConsolidatedMember