Google Inc. and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Google Inc. and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Google Inc. and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies We were incorporated in California in September 1998 and re-incorporated in the State of Delaware in August 2003. We generate revenues primarily by delivering relevant, cost-effective online advertising. On October 29, 2014, we sold the Motorola Mobile business (Motorola Mobile) to Lenovo Group Limited (Lenovo). The financial results of Motorola Mobile are presented as net loss from discontinued operations on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014. See Note 8 for further discussion of the sale. On August 10, 2015, we announced plans to create a new public holding company, Alphabet Inc. (Alphabet), and a new operating structure. On October 2, 2015, we announced the implementation of the holding company reorganization, in which Alphabet became the successor issuer to Google. Basis of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Google Inc. and our subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. Unaudited Interim Financial Information The accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, and the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015 are unaudited. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). In our opinion, the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position as of September 30, 2015, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 6, 2015. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to the accounts receivable and sales allowances, fair values of financial instruments, intangible assets and goodwill, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, income taxes, and contingent liabilities, among others. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (ASU 2014-09) "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605)”, and requires entities to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. As currently issued and amended, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period, though early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-10 (ASU 2014-10) "Development Stage Entities (Topic 915): Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements, Including an Amendment to Variable Interest Entities Guidance in Topic 810, Consolidation". ASU 2014-10 removes the definition of a development stage entity from the Master Glossary of the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) thereby removing the financial reporting distinction between development stage entities and other reporting entities. The additional elimination of related consolidation guidance will require companies with interests in development stage entities to reassess whether such entities are variable interest entities under ASC Topic 810, Consolidation. ASU 2014-10 will be applied retrospectively for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods therein. Early application of these amendments is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-10 on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-02 (ASU 2015-02) "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." ASU 2015-02 changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. It is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2015-02 on our consolidated financial statements. Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements In the second quarter of 2015, we identified an incorrect classification of certain revenues between legal entities, and as a consequence, we revised our income tax expense for periods beginning in 2008 through the first quarter of 2015 in the cumulative amount of $711 million. We evaluated the materiality of the income tax expense impact quantitatively and qualitatively and concluded it was not material to any of the prior periods impacted and that correction of income tax expense as an out of period adjustment in the quarter ended June 30, 2015 would not be material to our consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2015. Consolidated revenues are not impacted. We elected to revise previously issued consolidated financial statements for the periods impacted. Refer to Note 15 for additional information.

Google Inc. and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

We were incorporated in California in September 1998 and re-incorporated in the State of Delaware in August 2003. We generate revenues primarily by delivering relevant, cost-effective online advertising.

On October 29, 2014, we sold the Motorola Mobile business (Motorola Mobile) to Lenovo Group Limited (Lenovo). The financial results of Motorola Mobile are presented as net loss from discontinued operations on the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014. See Note 8 for further discussion of the sale.

On August 10, 2015, we announced plans to create a new public holding company, Alphabet Inc. (Alphabet), and a new operating structure. On October 2, 2015, we announced the implementation of the holding company reorganization, in which Alphabet became the successor issuer to Google.

Basis of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Google Inc. and our subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Unaudited Interim Financial Information

The accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, and the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015 are unaudited. These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (GAAP). In our opinion, the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements include all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for the fair presentation of our financial position as of September 30, 2015, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015, and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2015. The results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ending December 31, 2015.

These unaudited interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014, filed with the SEC on February 6, 2015.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and disclosed in the financial statements and the accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to the accounts receivable and sales allowances, fair values of financial instruments, intangible assets and goodwill, useful lives of intangible assets and property and equipment, income taxes, and contingent liabilities, among others. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (ASU 2014-09) "Revenue from Contracts with Customers." ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in “Revenue Recognition (Topic 605)”, and requires entities to recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. As currently issued and amended, ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period, though early adoption is permitted for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-10 (ASU 2014-10) "Development Stage Entities (Topic 915): Elimination of Certain Financial Reporting Requirements, Including an Amendment to Variable Interest Entities Guidance in Topic 810, Consolidation". ASU 2014-10 removes the definition of a development stage entity from the Master Glossary of the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) thereby removing the financial reporting distinction between development stage entities and other reporting entities. The additional elimination of related consolidation guidance will require companies with interests in development stage entities to reassess whether such entities are variable interest entities under ASC Topic 810, Consolidation. ASU 2014-10 will be applied retrospectively for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods therein. Early application of these amendments is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-10 on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2015-02 (ASU 2015-02) "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis." ASU 2015-02 changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. It is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of the adoption of ASU 2015-02 on our consolidated financial statements.

Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements

In the second quarter of 2015, we identified an incorrect classification of certain revenues between legal entities, and as a consequence, we revised our income tax expense for periods beginning in 2008 through the first quarter of 2015 in the cumulative amount of $711 million. We evaluated the materiality of the income tax expense impact quantitatively and qualitatively and concluded it was not material to any of the prior periods impacted and that correction of income tax expense as an out of period adjustment in the quarter ended June 30, 2015 would not be material to our consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2015. Consolidated revenues are not impacted. We elected to revise previously issued consolidated financial statements for the periods impacted. Refer to Note 15 for additional information.