diff --git a/Examples/UIExplorer/AppStateIOSExample.js b/Examples/UIExplorer/AppStateIOSExample.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..845b2e049
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Examples/UIExplorer/AppStateIOSExample.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2004-present Facebook. All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * @providesModule AppStateIOSExample
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+var React = require('react-native');
+var {
+  AppStateIOS,
+  Text,
+  View
+} = React;
+
+var AppStateSubscription = React.createClass({
+  getInitialState() {
+    return {
+      appState: AppStateIOS.currentState,
+      previousAppStates: [],
+    };
+  },
+  componentDidMount: function() {
+    AppStateIOS.addEventListener('change', this._handleAppStateChange);
+  },
+  componentWillUnmount: function() {
+    AppStateIOS.removeEventListener('change', this._handleAppStateChange);
+  },
+  _handleAppStateChange: function(appState) {
+    var previousAppStates = this.state.previousAppStates.slice();
+    previousAppStates.push(this.state.appState);
+    this.setState({
+      appState,
+      previousAppStates,
+    });
+  },
+  render() {
+    if (this.props.showCurrentOnly) {
+      return (
+        <View>
+          <Text>{this.state.appState}</Text>
+        </View>
+      );
+    }
+    return (
+      <View>
+        <Text>{JSON.stringify(this.state.previousAppStates)}</Text>
+      </View>
+    );
+  }
+});
+
+exports.title = 'AppStateIOS';
+exports.description = 'iOS app background status';
+exports.examples = [
+  {
+    title: 'AppStateIOS.currentState',
+    description: 'Can be null on app initialization',
+    render() { return <Text>{AppStateIOS.currentState}</Text>; }
+  },
+  {
+    title: 'Subscribed AppStateIOS:',
+    description: 'This changes according to the current state, so you can only ever see it rendered as "active"',
+    render() { return <AppStateSubscription showCurrentOnly={true} />; }
+  },
+  {
+    title: 'Previous states:',
+    render() { return <AppStateSubscription showCurrentOnly={false} />; }
+  },
+];
diff --git a/Examples/UIExplorer/UIExplorerList.js b/Examples/UIExplorer/UIExplorerList.js
index 456e76b63..ab8aed798 100644
--- a/Examples/UIExplorer/UIExplorerList.js
+++ b/Examples/UIExplorer/UIExplorerList.js
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ var EXAMPLES = [
   require('./AsyncStorageExample'),
   require('./CameraRollExample.ios'),
   require('./MapViewExample'),
+  require('./AppStateIOSExample'),
   require('./AdSupportIOSExample'),
   require('./AppStateExample'),
 ];
diff --git a/Libraries/AppState/AppState.js b/Libraries/AppState/AppState.js
index 691ab9d69..43b9db1a5 100644
--- a/Libraries/AppState/AppState.js
+++ b/Libraries/AppState/AppState.js
@@ -21,21 +21,9 @@ var AppState = {
 
   getApplicationIconBadgeNumber: function(callback) {
     RKAppState.getApplicationIconBadgeNumber(callback);
-  }
-}
+  },
 
-AppState.backgroundStatus = new Subscribable(
-  RCTDeviceEventEmitter,
-  'appStateDidChange',
-  (resp) => resp.app_state,
-  RKAppState.getCurrentAppState
-);
-
-AppState.BackgroundStatus = keyMirror({
-  active: true,
-  background: true,
-  inactive: true,
-});
+};
 
 // This check avoids redboxing if native RKReachability library isn't included in app
 // TODO: Move reachability API into separate JS module to prevent need for this
diff --git a/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.android.js b/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.android.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4bc7e691c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.android.js
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2004-present Facebook. All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * @providesModule AppStateIOS
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+var warning = require('warning');
+
+class AppStateIOS {
+
+  static addEventListener(type, handler) {
+    warning('Cannot listen to AppStateIOS events on Android.');
+  }
+
+  static removeEventListener(type, handler) {
+    warning('Cannot remove AppStateIOS listener on Android.');
+  }
+
+}
+
+AppStateIOS.currentState = null;
+
+module.exports = AppStateIOS;
diff --git a/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.ios.js b/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.ios.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8f03654b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Libraries/AppStateIOS/AppStateIOS.ios.js
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright 2004-present Facebook. All Rights Reserved.
+ *
+ * @providesModule AppStateIOS
+ */
+'use strict';
+
+var NativeModules = require('NativeModules');
+var RCTDeviceEventEmitter = require('RCTDeviceEventEmitter');
+var RKAppState = NativeModules.RKAppState;
+
+var logError = require('logError');
+
+var DEVICE_APPSTATE_EVENT = 'appStateDidChange';
+
+var _appStateHandlers = {};
+
+class AppStateIOS {
+
+  static addEventListener(type, handler) {
+    _appStateHandlers[handler] = RCTDeviceEventEmitter.addListener(
+      DEVICE_APPSTATE_EVENT,
+      (appStateData) => {
+        handler(appStateData.app_state);
+      }
+    );
+  }
+
+  static removeEventListener(type, handler) {
+    if (!_appStateHandlers[handler]) {
+      return;
+    }
+    _appStateHandlers[handler].remove();
+    _appStateHandlers[handler] = null;
+  }
+
+}
+
+AppStateIOS.currentState = null;
+
+RCTDeviceEventEmitter.addListener(
+  DEVICE_APPSTATE_EVENT,
+  (appStateData) => {
+    AppStateIOS.currentState = appStateData.app_state;
+  }
+);
+
+RKAppState.getCurrentAppState(
+  (appStateData) => {
+    AppStateIOS.currentState = appStateData.app_state;
+  },
+  logError
+);
+
+module.exports = AppStateIOS;
diff --git a/Libraries/react-native/react-native.js b/Libraries/react-native/react-native.js
index 18c590c97..48217795f 100644
--- a/Libraries/react-native/react-native.js
+++ b/Libraries/react-native/react-native.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var ReactNative = {
   ActivityIndicatorIOS: require('ActivityIndicatorIOS'),
   AppRegistry: require('AppRegistry'),
   AppState: require('AppState'),
+  AppStateIOS: require('AppStateIOS'),
   AsyncStorage: require('AsyncStorage'),
   CameraRoll: require('CameraRoll'),
   DatePickerIOS: require('DatePickerIOS'),