Discontinued Operations and Disposal Groups (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Portfolio separation costs			$ 1,335
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to common shareowners	$ 113	$ 190	(399)	$ 1,541
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	13	1,071	(219)	3,185
Income tax (benefit) expense from discontinued operations	(100)	825	137	1,504
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	113	246	(356)	1,681
Less: Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries’ earnings from discontinued operations	0	56	43	140
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities			(693)	1,605
Net cash used in investing activities			(241)	(241)
Net cash used in financing activities			(1,449)	(1,410)
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Cash and Cash Equivalents					$ 2,441
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts, Notes and Loans Receivable, Net					5,627
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Assets					1,209
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Inventory, Current					1,903
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Current					434
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Deferred Tax Assets					725
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment, Noncurrent					2,433
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets					1,347
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent					11,454
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Intangible Assets, Noncurrent					1,573
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Noncurrent					2,677
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets					31,823
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Short-term Borrowings					71
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts Payable, Current					3,003
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accrued Liabilities, Current					4,540
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Liabilities, Current					2,899
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt Currently Due					238
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt					87
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Pension Plan Benefit Obligation, Noncurrent					1,015
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Liabilities					1,051
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities, Noncurrent					1,539
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities					14,443
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Deferred Tax Liabilities					145
Income from discontinued operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Portfolio separation costs			958
Income tax expense from discontinued operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Portfolio separation costs			81
Income from continuing operations [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Portfolio separation costs			39
Income tax expense [Domain]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Portfolio separation costs			419
Otis [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to common shareowners	0	277	187	799
Selling, general and administrative expense	0	468	450	1,381
Other income (expense), net	0	(11)	(65)	(36)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	461	340	1,310
Income tax (benefit) expense from discontinued operations	0	140	116	396
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	321	224	914
Less: Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries’ earnings from discontinued operations	0	44	37	115
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Cash and Cash Equivalents					1,446
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts, Notes and Loans Receivable, Net					2,899
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Assets					530
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Inventory, Current					571
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Current					213
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Deferred Tax Assets					355
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment, Noncurrent					747
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets					529
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent					1,647
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Intangible Assets, Noncurrent					490
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Noncurrent					220
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets					9,647
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Short-term Borrowings					33
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts Payable, Current					1,321
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accrued Liabilities, Current					1,651
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Liabilities, Current					2,288
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt Currently Due					1
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt					5
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Pension Plan Benefit Obligation, Noncurrent					560
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Liabilities					383
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities, Noncurrent					514
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities					6,756
Otis [Member] | Research and Development Expense
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Research and development	0	39	38	118
Otis [Member] | Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Non-operating (income) expense, net	0	(3)	3	5
Otis [Member] | Product [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sales	0	1,449	1,123	4,240
Costs of Goods Sold	0	1,185	913	3,471
Otis [Member] | Service [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sales	0	1,858	1,843	5,511
Costs of Goods Sold	0	1,146	1,157	3,430
Carrier [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to common shareowners	0	418	196	1,334
Selling, general and administrative expense	0	731	669	2,151
Other income (expense), net	0	(12)	(30)	156
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	0	613	304	1,878
Income tax (benefit) expense from discontinued operations	0	183	102	519
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	430	202	1,359
Less: Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries’ earnings from discontinued operations	0	12	6	25
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Cash and Cash Equivalents					995
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts, Notes and Loans Receivable, Net					2,728
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Assets					679
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Inventory, Current					1,332
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Current					221
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Deferred Tax Assets					370
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment, Noncurrent					1,686
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets					818
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent					9,807
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Intangible Assets, Noncurrent					1,083
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Noncurrent					2,457
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets					22,176
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Short-term Borrowings					38
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts Payable, Current					1,682
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accrued Liabilities, Current					2,889
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Contract Liabilities, Current					611
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt Currently Due					237
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Long-term Debt					82
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Pension Plan Benefit Obligation, Noncurrent					455
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Lease Liabilities					668
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities, Noncurrent					1,025
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities					$ 7,687
Carrier [Member] | Research and Development Expense
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Research and development	0	101	98	301
Carrier [Member] | Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Non-operating (income) expense, net	0	(12)	17	(33)
Carrier [Member] | Product [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sales	0	3,991	3,143	11,684
Costs of Goods Sold	0	2,778	2,239	8,242
Carrier [Member] | Service [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sales	0	825	741	2,405
Costs of Goods Sold	0	593	527	1,706
Separation related transactions
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to common shareowners	113	(505)	(782)	(592)
Selling, general and administrative expense	(13)	3	154	3
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	13	(3)	(863)	(3)
Income tax (benefit) expense from discontinued operations	(100)	502	(81)	589
Separation related transactions | Nonoperating Income (Expense)
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Non-operating (income) expense, net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 709	$ 0