Segment Information and Geographic Data - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Mar. 26, 2011	Mar. 26, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Country
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of countries with Apple retail stores			12
Operating expenses of high-profile stores allocated to corporate marketing	$ 25	$ 49

Expenditures for planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion, and distribution of ideas, goods, and services. Costs of public relations and corporate promotions are typically considered to be marketing costs.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

Name:	us-gaap_MarketingExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration