Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2011	Sep. 25, 2010	Sep. 26, 2009
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Basic limited parts and labor warranty	The Company offers a basic limited parts and labor warranty on its hardware products. The basic warranty period for hardware products is typically one year from the date of purchase by the end-user. The Company also offers a 90-day basic warranty for its service parts used to repair the Company's hardware products. The Company provides currently for the estimated cost that may be incurred under its basic limited product warranties at the time related revenue is recognized.
Purchase commitments maximum period	150 days
Rent expense under cancelable and noncancelable operating leases	$ 338,000,000	$ 271,000,000	$ 231,000,000
Long-term supply agreements, outstanding inventory component prepayments	2,300,000,000	956,000,000
Long-term supply agreements, outstanding inventory component prepayments, current	728,000,000
Long-term supply agreements, outstanding inventory component prepayments, Noncurrent	1,600,000,000
The maximum term that the Company's major facility leases typically do not exceed	10 years
The maximum term that the renewal options on leases typically do not exceed	5 years
Minimum term of leases for retail space	5 years
Maximum term of leases for retail space	20 years
Majority of term of leases for retail space	10 years
Total future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating leases	3,032,000,000
Future minimum lease payments under noncancelable operating leases related to leases for retail space	2,400,000,000
Outstanding Off-balance Sheet Commitments for Outsourced Manufacturing and Component Purchases	13,900,000,000
Outstanding Off-balance Sheet Commitments for Other Outstanding Obligations	$ 2,400,000,000
Minimum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Long-term supply agreements, expiration date	2012
Maximum
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Long-term supply agreements, expiration date	2022
Hardware Products
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Warranty period	1 year
Service Parts
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Line Items]
Warranty period	90 days