Segment Information - Financial Information by Reporting Segments (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2014	Mar. 30, 2013	Dec. 28, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 10,383,989	$ 10,262,444
Income from operations	68,360	90,796
Stock-based compensation expense	(7,886)	(7,416)
Capital expenditures	22,320	15,431
Depreciation	20,067	18,227
Amortization of intangible assets	14,152	11,765
Identifiable assets	10,894,367		11,791,195
Long-lived assets	855,639		864,122
BrightPoint [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	830,100	1,069,165
Income from operations	8,916	9,307
Capital expenditures	1,920	2,157
Depreciation	5,549	6,398
Amortization of intangible assets	8,659	9,048
Identifiable assets	1,675,373		1,929,146
Long-lived assets	340,052		364,353
North America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	3,924,806	3,867,819
Income from operations	52,838	55,575
Capital expenditures	17,543	11,026
Depreciation	9,924	7,119
Amortization of intangible assets	4,200	1,785
Identifiable assets	3,645,409		3,965,210
Long-lived assets	405,519		402,823
Europe [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,994,398	2,668,995
Income from operations	(7,244)	13,944
Capital expenditures	1,407	806
Depreciation	2,161	2,536
Amortization of intangible assets	649	498
Identifiable assets	3,518,619		3,630,667
Long-lived assets	52,124		45,951
Asia-Pacific [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,141,220	2,194,507
Income from operations	12,747	13,835
Capital expenditures	1,174	1,126
Depreciation	2,076	1,845
Amortization of intangible assets	439	212
Identifiable assets	1,407,718		1,429,984
Long-lived assets	49,987		42,548
Latin America [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	493,465	461,958
Income from operations	8,989	5,551
Capital expenditures	276	316
Depreciation	357	329
Amortization of intangible assets	205	222
Identifiable assets	647,248		836,188
Long-lived assets	$ 7,957		$ 8,447