Fair Value Measurements (Fair Value Measured on Recurring Basis) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 28, 2011	Jan. 27, 2012	Jan. 28, 2011	Apr. 29, 2011
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Nonrecurring Basis
Aggregate carrying amount of equity and other securities without a quoted market price and accounted for using the cost or equity method		$ 503		$ 652
Cost-method investment impairment charges			10
Aggregate carrying amount of intangible assets		2,713		2,725
Intangible assets measured on a nonrecurring basis as a percentage of total intangible assets, maximum		5.00%
Carrying amount of goodwill		9,915		9,520
Carrying amount of IPR&D		369		338
Financial Instruments Not Measured at Fair Value
Long-term debt		8,900		8,524
Long-term debt principal value		8,063		8,096
Recurring | Fair Value
Assets:
Corporate debt securities		2,940		1,961
Auction rate securities		133		133
Mortgage-backed securities		784		785
U.S. government and agency securities		3,015		2,756
Foreign Government and agency securities		56		131
Certificates of deposit		73		119
Other asset-backed securities		475		349
Marketable equity securities		228		237
Exchange-traded funds		44		39
Derivative assets		293		130
Total assets		8,041		6,640
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities		114		303
Total liabilities		114		303
Recurring | Level 1
Assets:
Corporate debt securities		0		0
Auction rate securities		0		0
Mortgage-backed securities		0		0
U.S. government and agency securities		1,530		1,453
Foreign Government and agency securities		0		0
Certificates of deposit		0		0
Other asset-backed securities		0		0
Marketable equity securities		228		237
Exchange-traded funds		44		39
Derivative assets		129		21
Total assets		1,931		1,750
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities		71		303
Total liabilities		71		303
Recurring | Level 2
Assets:
Corporate debt securities		2,930		1,944
Auction rate securities		0		0
Mortgage-backed securities		755		750
U.S. government and agency securities		1,485		1,303
Foreign Government and agency securities		56		131
Certificates of deposit		73		119
Other asset-backed securities		469		343
Marketable equity securities		0		0
Exchange-traded funds		0		0
Derivative assets		164		109
Total assets		5,932		4,699
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities		43		0
Total liabilities		43		0
Recurring | Level 3
Assets:
Corporate debt securities		10		17
Auction rate securities		133		133
Mortgage-backed securities		29		35
U.S. government and agency securities		0		0
Foreign Government and agency securities		0		0
Certificates of deposit		0		0
Other asset-backed securities		6		6
Marketable equity securities		0		0
Exchange-traded funds		0		0
Derivative assets		0		0
Total assets		178		191
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities		0		0
Total liabilities		0		0
Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Nonrecurring Basis
Aggregate carrying amount of equity and other securities without a quoted market price and accounted for using the cost or equity method		503		652
Cost-method investment impairment charges	10	4	15
Aggregate carrying amount of intangible assets		2,344		2,387
Impairment loss of intangilble assets	9
Carrying amount of goodwill		$ 9,915		$ 9,520