Restructuring charges/other (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		45 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended					45 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				23 Months Ended	45 Months Ended		3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				45 Months Ended		24 Months Ended	33 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014 Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hiji, Japan, and Houston, Texas	Sep. 30, 2014 Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hiji, Japan, and Houston, Texas	Mar. 31, 2014 Semiconductor manufacturing facility in Nice, France	Sep. 30, 2014 2013 actions		Sep. 30, 2013 2013 actions		Sep. 30, 2014 2013 actions		Sep. 30, 2014 2013 actions Jobs	Sep. 30, 2013 2013 actions		Sep. 30, 2014 2013 actions		Sep. 30, 2014 2012 Wireless action		Sep. 30, 2013 2012 Wireless action		Sep. 30, 2014 2012 Wireless action		Sep. 30, 2013 2012 Wireless action		Sep. 30, 2014 2012 Wireless action	Sep. 30, 2014 2012 Wireless action		Sep. 30, 2014 Prior actions		Sep. 30, 2013 Prior actions		Sep. 30, 2014 Prior actions		Sep. 30, 2013 Prior actions		Sep. 30, 2014 Prior actions		Dec. 31, 2013 Prior actions Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hiji, Japan, and Houston, Texas	Sep. 30, 2014 Prior actions Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hiji, Japan, and Houston, Texas	Dec. 31, 2012 Prior actions Semiconductor manufacturing facilities in Hiji, Japan, and Houston, Texas facilities	Sep. 30, 2014 Severance and Benefits 2013 actions	Sep. 30, 2014 Severance and Benefits 2012 Wireless action	Sep. 30, 2014 Severance and Benefits Prior actions	Sep. 30, 2014 Other Charges 2013 actions	Sep. 30, 2014 Other Charges Prior actions
Restructuring Charges/Other [Abstract]
Severance and benefits cost										$ (3,000,000)	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 18,000,000	[1]		$ 0	[1]	$ 67,000,000	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ 0	[1]	$ (6,000,000)	[1]	$ 30,000,000	[1]		$ 269,000,000	[1]	$ 0		$ 2,000,000		$ 0		$ 3,000,000		$ 119,000,000
Accelerated depreciation																					0		0		0		6,000,000			9,000,000		0		0		1,000,000		5,000,000		29,000,000
Other exit costs										0		0		7,000,000			0		7,000,000		0		0		0		2,000,000			105,000,000		0	[1]	14,000,000	[1]	(1,000,000)	[1]	18,000,000	[1]	52,000,000	[1]
Restructuring charges	(3,000,000)	16,000,000		19,000,000	64,000,000	657,000,000				(3,000,000)		0		25,000,000		74,000,000	0		74,000,000		0		0		(6,000,000)		38,000,000		383,000,000	383,000,000		0		16,000,000		0		26,000,000		200,000,000		200,000,000			18,000,000	(6,000,000)	0	7,000,000	0
Gains on sales of assets	(8,000,000)	0		(47,000,000)	0		(8,000,000)	(17,000,000)	(30,000,000)
Gain on technology transfer	0	0	(315,000,000)	0	(315,000,000)
Other	2,000,000	0		4,000,000	0
Restructuring charges/other	(9,000,000)	16,000,000		(24,000,000)	(251,000,000)
Jobs expected to be eliminated																1,100
Payments				110,000,000												36,000,000													241,000,000														102,000,000		36,000,000	61,000,000	6,000,000	0	7,000,000
Goodwill, impairment loss				0	0																								90,000,000
Number of facilities closing																																												2
Changes in Accrued Restructuring Reserve [Roll Forward]
Beginning accrual				161,000,000																																									49,000,000	95,000,000	10,000,000	0	7,000,000
Restructuring charges	(3,000,000)	16,000,000		19,000,000	64,000,000	657,000,000				(3,000,000)		0		25,000,000		74,000,000	0		74,000,000		0		0		(6,000,000)		38,000,000		383,000,000	383,000,000		0		16,000,000		0		26,000,000		200,000,000		200,000,000			18,000,000	(6,000,000)	0	7,000,000	0
Payments				(110,000,000)												(36,000,000)													(241,000,000)														(102,000,000)		(36,000,000)	(61,000,000)	(6,000,000)	0	(7,000,000)
Remaining accrual	70,000,000			70,000,000		70,000,000																																							31,000,000	28,000,000	4,000,000	7,000,000	0
Gains on sales of assets	8,000,000	0		47,000,000	0		8,000,000	17,000,000	30,000,000
Gain on technology transfer	$ 0	$ 0	$ 315,000,000	$ 0	$ 315,000,000

[1] Includes changes in estimates for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.