diff --git a/apps/animations/opacity.ts b/apps/animations/opacity.ts
index ed8cd14f8..dceecd0fd 100644
--- a/apps/animations/opacity.ts
+++ b/apps/animations/opacity.ts
@@ -25,8 +25,11 @@ export function pageLoaded(args: observable.EventData) {
 
 export function onSetOpacity(args: observable.EventData) {
     var newOpacity = opacitySlider.value / 100;
-    container._eachChildView((childView: view.View) => {
-        childView.opacity = newOpacity;
+    container._eachChildView((view: view.View) => {
+        if (view.android) {
+            view.android.setLayerType(android.view.View.LAYER_TYPE_HARDWARE, null);
+        }
+        view.opacity = newOpacity;
         return true;
     });
 }
@@ -35,9 +38,12 @@ var animationSet: animationModule.Animation;
 export function onAnimateOpacity(args: observable.EventData) {
     var newOpacity = opacitySlider.value / 100;
     var animationDefinitions = new Array<animationModule.AnimationDefinition>();
-    container._eachChildView((childView: view.View) => {
+    container._eachChildView((view: view.View) => {
+        if (view.android) {
+            view.android.setLayerType(android.view.View.LAYER_TYPE_HARDWARE, null);
+        }
         animationDefinitions.push({
-            target: childView,
+            target: view,
             opacity: newOpacity,
             duration: 5000
         });
diff --git a/ui/animation/animation.android.ts b/ui/animation/animation.android.ts
index be762396d..bcb0702f2 100644
--- a/ui/animation/animation.android.ts
+++ b/ui/animation/animation.android.ts
@@ -159,18 +159,11 @@ export class Animation extends common.Animation implements definition.Animation
 
             case common.Properties.opacity:
                 originalValue1 = nativeView.getAlpha();
-                nativeArray = java.lang.reflect.Array.newInstance(floatType, 2);
-                nativeArray[0] = originalValue1;
-                nativeArray[1] = propertyAnimation.value;
-                animator = android.animation.ValueAnimator.ofFloat(nativeArray);
-                animator.addUpdateListener(new android.animation.ValueAnimator.AnimatorUpdateListener({
-                    onAnimationUpdate(animator: android.animation.ValueAnimator) {
-                        propertyAnimation.target.opacity = (<java.lang.Float>animator.getAnimatedValue()).floatValue();
-                    }
-                }));
-                propertyUpdateCallbacks.push(checkAnimation(() => { propertyAnimation.target.opacity = propertyAnimation.value; }));
-                propertyResetCallbacks.push(checkAnimation(() => { propertyAnimation.target.opacity = originalValue1; }));
-                animators.push(animator);
+                nativeArray = java.lang.reflect.Array.newInstance(floatType, 1);
+                nativeArray[0] = propertyAnimation.value;
+                propertyUpdateCallbacks.push(checkAnimation(() => { propertyAnimation.target.opacity = propertyAnimation.value }));
+                propertyResetCallbacks.push(checkAnimation(() => { nativeView.setAlpha(originalValue1); }));
+                animators.push(android.animation.ObjectAnimator.ofFloat(nativeView, "alpha", nativeArray));
                 break;
 
             case common.Properties.backgroundColor:
diff --git a/ui/styling/stylers.android.ts b/ui/styling/stylers.android.ts
index 956ac997e..4405d5492 100644
--- a/ui/styling/stylers.android.ts
+++ b/ui/styling/stylers.android.ts
@@ -341,25 +341,6 @@ export class ImageStyler implements definition.stylers.Styler {
         onBackgroundOrBorderPropertyChanged(view);
     }
 
-    //Opacity methods
-    private static setOpacityProperty(view: view.View, newValue: any) {
-        ImageStyler._setOpacity(view, newValue);
-    }
-
-    private static resetOpacityProperty(view: view.View, nativeValue: any) {
-        ImageStyler._setOpacity(view, 1.0);
-    }
-
-    private static _setOpacity(view: view.View, value: any) {
-        let opacity = float(value);
-        let nativeView = <android.view.View>view._nativeView;
-        nativeView.setAlpha(opacity);
-        let background = nativeView.getBackground();
-        if (background) {
-            background.setAlpha(opacity);
-        }
-    }
-
     public static registerHandlers() {
         // Use the same handler for all background/border properties
         // Note: There is no default value getter - the default value is handled in onBackgroundOrBorderPropertyChanged
@@ -371,10 +352,6 @@ export class ImageStyler implements definition.stylers.Styler {
         style.registerHandler(style.borderWidthProperty, new stylersCommon.StylePropertyChangedHandler(
             ImageStyler.setBorderWidthProperty,
             ImageStyler.resetBorderWidthProperty), "Image");
-
-        style.registerHandler(style.opacityProperty, new stylersCommon.StylePropertyChangedHandler(
-            ImageStyler.setOpacityProperty,
-            ImageStyler.resetOpacityProperty), "Image");
     }
 }