diff --git a/docs/components/TextInput.md b/docs/components/TextInput.md
index aec937eb..769d9658 100644
--- a/docs/components/TextInput.md
+++ b/docs/components/TextInput.md
@@ -116,22 +116,13 @@ an argument to the callback handler. Fires before `onChange` callbacks.
 
 **onSelectionChange**: function
 
-Callback that is called when the text input's selection changes. The following
-object is passed as an argument to the callback handler.
+Callback that is called when the text input's selection changes. This will be called with
+`{ nativeEvent: { selection: { start, end } } }`.
 
 **onSubmitEditing**: function
 
 Callback that is called when the keyboard's submit button is pressed.
 
-```js
-{
-  selectionDirection,
-  selectionEnd,
-  selectionStart,
-  nativeEvent
-}
-```
-
 **placeholder**: string
 
 The string that will be rendered in an empty `TextInput` before text has been
@@ -148,6 +139,10 @@ passwords stay secure.
 
 (Not available when `multiline` is `true`.)
 
+**selection**: { start: number, end: ?number }
+
+The start and end of the text input's selection. Set start and end to the same value to position the cursor.
+
 **selectTextOnFocus**: bool = false
 
 If `true`, all text will automatically be selected on focus.
diff --git a/src/components/TextInput/index.js b/src/components/TextInput/index.js
index ab1e46a0..6f8d4877 100644
--- a/src/components/TextInput/index.js
+++ b/src/components/TextInput/index.js
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ import React, { Component, PropTypes } from 'react';
 
 const viewStyleProps = Object.keys(ViewStylePropTypes);
 
+/**
+ * React Native events differ from W3C events.
+ */
 const normalizeEventHandler = (handler) => (e) => {
   if (handler) {
     e.nativeEvent.text = e.target.value;
@@ -21,6 +24,32 @@ const normalizeEventHandler = (handler) => (e) => {
   }
 };
 
+/**
+ * Determins whether a 'selection' prop differs from a node's existing
+ * selection state.
+ */
+const isSelectionStale = (node, selection) => {
+  if (node && selection) {
+    const { selectionEnd, selectionStart } = node;
+    const { start, end } = selection;
+    return start !== selectionStart || end !== selectionEnd;
+  }
+  return false;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Certain input types do no support 'selectSelectionRange' and will throw an
+ * error.
+ */
+const setSelection = (node, selection) => {
+  try {
+    if (isSelectionStale(node, selection)) {
+      const { start, end } = selection;
+      node.setSelectionRange(start, end || start);
+    }
+  } catch (e) {}
+};
+
 class TextInput extends Component {
   static displayName = 'TextInput';
 
@@ -50,6 +79,10 @@ class TextInput extends Component {
     placeholder: PropTypes.string,
     placeholderTextColor: PropTypes.string,
     secureTextEntry: PropTypes.bool,
+    selection: PropTypes.shape({
+      start: PropTypes.number.isRequired,
+      end: PropTypes.number
+    }),
     selectTextOnFocus: PropTypes.bool,
     style: Text.propTypes.style,
     testID: Text.propTypes.testID,
@@ -93,6 +126,14 @@ class TextInput extends Component {
     UIManager.updateView(this._inputRef, props, this);
   }
 
+  componentDidMount() {
+    setSelection(findNodeHandle(this._inputRef), this.props.selection);
+  }
+
+  componentDidUpdate() {
+    setSelection(findNodeHandle(this._inputRef), this.props.selection);
+  }
+
   render() {
     const {
       accessibilityLabel, // eslint-disable-line
@@ -107,9 +148,7 @@ class TextInput extends Component {
       maxNumberOfLines,
       multiline,
       numberOfLines,
-      onKeyPress,
       onLayout,
-      onSelectionChange,
       placeholder,
       placeholderTextColor,
       secureTextEntry,
@@ -251,17 +290,17 @@ class TextInput extends Component {
   }
 
   _handleSelectionChange = (e) => {
-    const { onSelectionChange } = this.props;
-    try {
-      const { selectionDirection, selectionEnd, selectionStart } = e.target;
-      const event = {
-        selectionDirection,
-        selectionEnd,
-        selectionStart,
-        nativeEvent: e.nativeEvent
-      };
-      if (onSelectionChange) { onSelectionChange(event); }
-    } catch (e) {}
+    const { onSelectionChange, selection = {} } = this.props;
+    if (onSelectionChange) {
+      try {
+        const node = e.target;
+        if (isSelectionStale(node, selection)) {
+          const { selectionStart, selectionEnd } = node;
+          e.nativeEvent.selection = { start: selectionStart, end: selectionEnd };
+          onSelectionChange(e);
+        }
+      } catch (e) {}
+    }
   }
 
   _setInputRef = (component) => {