diff --git a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.android.ts b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.android.ts
index 89a503124..8f144aa56 100644
--- a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.android.ts
+++ b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.android.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ export function getNativeEditable(textView: textViewModule.TextView): boolean {
     }
 }
 
+export function getNativeHint(textView: textViewModule.TextView): string {
+    return textView.android.getHint();
+}
+
 export function getNativeFontSize(textView: textViewModule.TextView): number {
     var density = utilsModule.layout.getDisplayDensity();
     return textView.android.getTextSize() / density;
diff --git a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.d.ts b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.d.ts
index 151a5da26..6446745c2 100644
--- a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.d.ts
+++ b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.d.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import textViewModule = require("ui/text-view");
 import colorModule = require("color");
 
 export declare function getNativeText(textView: textViewModule.TextView): string;
+export declare function getNativeHint(textView: textViewModule.TextView): string;
 export declare function getNativeEditable(textView: textViewModule.TextView): boolean;
 export declare function getNativeFontSize(textView: textViewModule.TextView): number;
 export declare function getNativeColor(textView: textViewModule.TextView): colorModule.Color;
diff --git a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.ios.ts b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.ios.ts
index 9afab1063..8393ddf81 100644
--- a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.ios.ts
+++ b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests-native.ios.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,15 @@ export function getNativeText(textView: textViewModule.TextView): string {
     return textView.ios.text;
 }
 
+export function getNativeHint(textView: textViewModule.TextView): string {
+    // There is no native hint so we use a hack and sett 22% opaque text.
+    if ((<any>textView.ios).isShowingHint) {
+        return textView.ios.text;
+    }
+
+    return "";
+}
+
 export function getNativeEditable(textView: textViewModule.TextView): boolean {
     return textView.ios.editable;
 }
diff --git a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests.ts b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests.ts
index 417d60c3a..6ee4b5957 100644
--- a/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests.ts
+++ b/apps/tests/ui/text-view/text-view-tests.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,130 @@ export var testTextIsUpdatedWhenUserTypes = function () {
     });
 }
 
+export var testSetHint = function () {
+    helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
+        var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
+        textView.text = "";
+
+        // <snippet module="ui/text-view" title="TextView">
+        // ### Setting the hint of a TextView
+        // ``` JavaScript
+        textView.hint = "type your username here";
+        // ```
+        // </snippet>
+
+        var expectedValue = "type your username here";
+        var actualValue = textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView);
+        TKUnit.assert(actualValue === expectedValue, "Actual: " + actualValue + "; Expected: " + expectedValue);
+    });
+}
+
+export var testBindHintDirectlyToModel = function () {
+    helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
+        var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
+        textView.text = "";
+
+        // <snippet module="ui/text-view" title="TextView">
+        // ### Binding hint property directly to model
+        // ``` JavaScript
+        var model = new observable.Observable();
+        model.set("hint", "type your username here");
+        var options: bindable.BindingOptions = {
+            sourceProperty: "hint",
+            targetProperty: "hint"
+        }
+        textView.bind(options, model);
+        //// TextView.hint is now "type your username here"
+        // <hide>
+        TKUnit.assert(textView.hint === "type your username here", "Actual: " + textView.hint + "; Expected: " + "type your username here");
+        TKUnit.assert(textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) === "type your username here", "Actual: " + textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) + "; Expected: " + "type your username here");
+        // </hide>
+        model.set("hint", "type your password here");
+        //// TextView.hint is now "type your password here"
+        // <hide>
+        TKUnit.assert(textView.hint === "type your password here", "Actual: " + textView.hint + "; Expected: " + "type your password here");
+        TKUnit.assert(textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) === "type your password here", "Actual: " + textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) + "; Expected: " + "type your password here");
+        // </hide>
+        // ```
+        // </snippet>
+    });
+}
+
+export var testBindHintToBindingConext = function () {
+    helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
+        var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
+        textView.text = "";
+        var page = <pagesModule.Page>views[1];
+
+        var model = new observable.Observable();
+        model.set("hint", "type your username here");
+        page.bindingContext = model;
+
+        var options: bindable.BindingOptions = {
+            sourceProperty: "hint",
+            targetProperty: "hint"
+        }
+
+        textView.bind(options);
+        TKUnit.assert(textView.hint === "type your username here", "Actual: " + textView.hint + "; Expected: " + "type your username here");
+        TKUnit.assert(textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) === "type your username here", "Actual: " + textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) + "; Expected: " + "type your username here");
+
+        model.set("hint", "type your password here");
+        TKUnit.assert(textView.hint === "type your password here", "Actual: " + textView.hint + "; Expected: " + "type your password here");
+        TKUnit.assert(textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) === "type your password here", "Actual: " + textViewTestsNative.getNativeHint(textView) + "; Expected: " + "type your password here");
+    });
+}
+
+export var testHintPlusTextiOS = function () {
+    helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
+        var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
+        if (!textView.ios) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        var expectedValue;
+        var actualValue;
+
+        textView.hint = "hint";
+        textView.text = "text";
+
+        expectedValue = "text";
+        actualValue = textViewTestsNative.getNativeText(textView);
+        TKUnit.assert(actualValue === expectedValue, "Actual: " + actualValue + "; Expected: " + expectedValue);
+
+        textView.text = "";
+        expectedValue = "hint";
+        actualValue = textViewTestsNative.getNativeText(textView);
+        TKUnit.assert(actualValue === expectedValue, "Actual: " + actualValue + "; Expected: " + expectedValue);
+    });
+}
+
+export var testHintColoriOS = function () {
+    helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
+        var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
+        if (!textView.ios) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        textView.text = "";
+        textView.color = new colorModule.Color("red");
+        textView.hint = "hint";
+
+        var expectedValue;
+        var actualValue;
+
+        expectedValue = "#38.1999948ff0000"; // 22% red
+        actualValue = textViewTestsNative.getNativeColor(textView).hex;
+        TKUnit.assert(actualValue === expectedValue, "Actual: " + actualValue + "; Expected: " + expectedValue);
+
+        textView.text = "text";
+
+        expectedValue = "#ffff0000"; // red
+        actualValue = textViewTestsNative.getNativeColor(textView).hex;
+        TKUnit.assert(actualValue === expectedValue, "Actual: " + actualValue + "; Expected: " + expectedValue);
+    });
+}
+
 export var testSetEditable = function () {
     helper.buildUIAndRunTest(_createTextViewFunc(), function (views: Array<viewModule.View>) {
         var textView = <textViewModule.TextView>views[0];
@@ -342,4 +466,4 @@ export var testMemoryLeak = function () {
     helper.buildUIWithWeakRefAndInteract(_createTextViewFunc, function (textView) {
         textViewTestsNative.typeTextNatively(textView, "Hello, world!");
     });
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base-common.ts b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base-common.ts
index c39332656..3d31c9b29 100644
--- a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base-common.ts
+++ b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base-common.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ var autocorrectProperty = new dependencyObservable.Property(
     new proxy.PropertyMetadata(undefined, dependencyObservable.PropertyMetadataSettings.None)
     );
 
+export var hintProperty = new dependencyObservable.Property(
+    "hint",
+    "EditableTextBase",
+    new proxy.PropertyMetadata("")
+    );
+
 function onKeyboardTypePropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
     var editableTextBase = <EditableTextBase>data.object;
     editableTextBase._onKeyboardTypePropertyChanged(data);
@@ -75,6 +81,13 @@ function onAutocorrectPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeD
 
 (<proxy.PropertyMetadata>autocorrectProperty.metadata).onSetNativeValue = onAutocorrectPropertyChanged;
 
+function onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+    var editableTextBase = <EditableTextBase>data.object;
+    editableTextBase._onHintPropertyChanged(data);
+}
+
+(<proxy.PropertyMetadata>hintProperty.metadata).onSetNativeValue = onHintPropertyChanged;
+
 export class EditableTextBase extends textBase.TextBase implements definition.EditableTextBase {
 
     public static keyboardTypeProperty = keyboardTypeProperty;
@@ -89,6 +102,8 @@ export class EditableTextBase extends textBase.TextBase implements definition.Ed
 
     public static autocorrectProperty = autocorrectProperty;
 
+    public static hintProperty = hintProperty;
+
     constructor(options?: definition.Options) {
         super(options);
     }
@@ -141,6 +156,13 @@ export class EditableTextBase extends textBase.TextBase implements definition.Ed
         this._setValue(EditableTextBase.autocorrectProperty, value);
     }
 
+    get hint(): string {
+        return this._getValue(EditableTextBase.hintProperty);
+    }
+    set hint(value: string) {
+        this._setValue(EditableTextBase.hintProperty, value);
+    }
+
     public dismissSoftInput() {
         //
     }
@@ -165,4 +187,8 @@ export class EditableTextBase extends textBase.TextBase implements definition.Ed
     public _onAutocorrectPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
         //
     }
+
+    public _onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        //
+    }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.android.ts b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.android.ts
index 12aad1818..40c45c298 100644
--- a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.android.ts
+++ b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.android.ts
@@ -253,4 +253,13 @@ export class EditableTextBase extends common.EditableTextBase {
 
         editableTextBase.android.setInputType(inputType);
     }
+
+    public _onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        var editableTextBase = <EditableTextBase>data.object;
+        if (!editableTextBase.android) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        editableTextBase.android.setHint(data.newValue);
+    }
 }  
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.d.ts b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.d.ts
index 734acc8fd..b79da4e2e 100644
--- a/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.d.ts
+++ b/ui/editable-text-base/editable-text-base.d.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,11 @@
          */
         autocorrect: boolean;
 
+        /**
+         * Gets or sets the placeholder text.
+         */
+        hint: string;
+
         /**
          * Hides the soft input method, ususally a soft keyboard.
          */
@@ -81,6 +86,11 @@
          */
         autocapitalizationType?: string;
 
+        /**
+         * Gets or sets the placeholder text.
+         */
+        hint?: string;
+
         /**
          * Enables or disables autocorrection.
          */
diff --git a/ui/styling/stylers.ios.ts b/ui/styling/stylers.ios.ts
index 553024af2..aed8c699b 100644
--- a/ui/styling/stylers.ios.ts
+++ b/ui/styling/stylers.ios.ts
@@ -409,21 +409,36 @@ export class TextViewStyler implements definition.stylers.Styler {
     private static setColorProperty(view: view.View, newValue: any) {
         var textView: UITextView = <UITextView>view._nativeView;
         if (textView) {
-            textView.textColor = newValue;
+            TextViewStyler._setTextViewColor(textView, newValue);
         }
     }
 
     private static resetColorProperty(view: view.View, nativeValue: any) {
         var textView: UITextView = <UITextView>view._nativeView;
         if (textView) {
-            textView.textColor = nativeValue;
+            TextViewStyler._setTextViewColor(textView, nativeValue);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static _setTextViewColor(textView: UITextView, newValue: any) {
+        var color: UIColor = <UIColor>newValue;
+        if ((<any>textView).isShowingHint && color) {
+            textView.textColor = (<UIColor>color).colorWithAlphaComponent(0.22);
+        }
+        else {
+            textView.textColor = color;
         }
     }
 
     private static getNativeColorValue(view: view.View): any {
         var textView: UITextView = <UITextView>view._nativeView;
         if (textView) {
-            return textView.textColor;
+            if ((<any>textView).isShowingHint && textView.textColor) {
+                return textView.textColor.colorWithAlphaComponent(1);
+            }
+            else {
+                return textView.textColor;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/ui/text-base/text-base.d.ts b/ui/text-base/text-base.d.ts
index 9dadae4dd..6df8155d5 100644
--- a/ui/text-base/text-base.d.ts
+++ b/ui/text-base/text-base.d.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@
          * Gets or sets a formatted string.
          */
         formattedText: formattedString.FormattedString;
+
+        _onTextPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData);
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/ui/text-field/text-field-common.ts b/ui/text-field/text-field-common.ts
index 0c6f5c0de..d71702ffd 100644
--- a/ui/text-field/text-field-common.ts
+++ b/ui/text-field/text-field-common.ts
@@ -4,12 +4,6 @@ import proxy = require("ui/core/proxy");
 import textBase = require("ui/text-base");
 import editableTextBase = require("ui/editable-text-base");
 
-export var hintProperty = new dependencyObservable.Property(
-    "hint",
-    "TextField",
-    new proxy.PropertyMetadata("")
-    );
-
 export var secureProperty = new dependencyObservable.Property(
     "secure",
     "TextField",
@@ -25,13 +19,6 @@ export class TextField extends editableTextBase.EditableTextBase implements defi
         super(options);
     }
 
-    get hint(): string {
-        return this._getValue(hintProperty);
-    }
-    set hint(value: string) {
-        this._setValue(hintProperty, value);
-    }
-
     get secure(): boolean {
         return this._getValue(secureProperty);
     }
diff --git a/ui/text-field/text-field.android.ts b/ui/text-field/text-field.android.ts
index 926443421..e2e0ddc0d 100644
--- a/ui/text-field/text-field.android.ts
+++ b/ui/text-field/text-field.android.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,6 @@
 import dependencyObservable = require("ui/core/dependency-observable");
 import proxy = require("ui/core/proxy");
 
-function onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
-    var textField = <TextField>data.object;
-    if (!textField.android) {
-        return;
-    }
-
-    textField.android.setHint(data.newValue);
-}
-
-// register the setNativeValue callbacks
-(<proxy.PropertyMetadata>common.hintProperty.metadata).onSetNativeValue = onHintPropertyChanged;
-
 function onSecurePropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
     var textField = <TextField>data.object;
     if (!textField.android) {
diff --git a/ui/text-field/text-field.d.ts b/ui/text-field/text-field.d.ts
index cefa48b28..b02c3647b 100644
--- a/ui/text-field/text-field.d.ts
+++ b/ui/text-field/text-field.d.ts
@@ -20,11 +20,6 @@ declare module "ui/text-field" {
          */
         ios: UITextField;
 
-        /**
-         * Gets or sets the text of a text field hint/placeholder.
-         */
-        hint: string;
-
         /**
          * Gets or sets if a text field is for password entry.
          */
@@ -35,11 +30,6 @@ declare module "ui/text-field" {
      * Defines interface for an optional parameter used to create a editable-text-base component.
      */
     export interface Options extends editableTextBase.Options {
-        /**
-         * Gets or sets the text of a text field hint/placeholder.
-         */
-        hint?: string;
-
         /**
          * Gets or sets if a text field is for password entry.
          */
diff --git a/ui/text-field/text-field.ios.ts b/ui/text-field/text-field.ios.ts
index 7ba604185..13336b7ba 100644
--- a/ui/text-field/text-field.ios.ts
+++ b/ui/text-field/text-field.ios.ts
@@ -4,13 +4,6 @@ import proxy = require("ui/core/proxy");
 import textBase = require("ui/text-base");
 import enums = require("ui/enums");
 
-function onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
-    var textField = <TextField>data.object;
-    textField.ios.placeholder = data.newValue;
-}
-
-(<proxy.PropertyMetadata>common.hintProperty.metadata).onSetNativeValue = onHintPropertyChanged;
-
 function onSecurePropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
     var textField = <TextField>data.object;
     textField.ios.secureTextEntry = data.newValue;
@@ -89,4 +82,9 @@ export class TextField extends common.TextField {
     get ios(): UITextField {
         return this._ios;
     }
+
+    public _onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        var textField = <TextField>data.object;
+        textField.ios.placeholder = data.newValue;
+    }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ui/text-view/text-view.ios.ts b/ui/text-view/text-view.ios.ts
index 679977ca1..fbe5a59b5 100644
--- a/ui/text-view/text-view.ios.ts
+++ b/ui/text-view/text-view.ios.ts
@@ -21,12 +21,18 @@ class UITextViewDelegateImpl extends NSObject implements UITextViewDelegate {
         return this;
     }
 
+    public textViewShouldBeginEditing(textView: UITextView): boolean {
+        this._owner._hideHint();
+        return true;
+    }
+
     public textViewDidEndEditing(textView: UITextView) {
         if (this._owner.updateTextTrigger === enums.UpdateTextTrigger.focusLost) {
             this._owner._onPropertyChangedFromNative(textBase.TextBase.textProperty, textView.text);
         }
 
         this._owner.dismissSoftInput();
+        this._owner._refreshHintState(this._owner.hint, textView.text);
     }
 
     public textViewDidChange(textView: UITextView) {
@@ -69,4 +75,34 @@ export class TextView extends common.TextView {
     public _onEditablePropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
         this._ios.editable = data.newValue;
     }
+
+    public _onHintPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        this._refreshHintState(data.newValue, this.text);
+    }
+
+    public _onTextPropertyChanged(data: dependencyObservable.PropertyChangeData) {
+        super._onTextPropertyChanged(data);
+        this._refreshHintState(this.hint, data.newValue);
+    }
+
+    public _refreshHintState(hint: string, text: string) {
+        if (hint && !text) {
+            this._showHint(hint);
+        }
+        else {
+            this._hideHint();
+        }
+    }
+
+    public _showHint(hint: string) {
+        this.ios.textColor = this.ios.textColor ? this.ios.textColor.colorWithAlphaComponent(0.22) : UIColor.blackColor().colorWithAlphaComponent(0.22);
+        this.ios.text = hint + "";
+        (<any>this.ios).isShowingHint = true;
+    }
+
+    public _hideHint() {
+        this.ios.textColor = this.color ? this.color.ios : null;
+        this.ios.text = this.text + "";
+        (<any>this.ios).isShowingHint = false;
+    }
 } 
\ No newline at end of file