diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c8309865a..f7923a534 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -14,12 +14,11 @@
 </p>
 <p align="center">
   <a href="https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native-gifted-chat">
-  <img alt="npm dowloads" src="https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/react-native-gifted-chat.svg"/></a>
+  <img alt="npm downloads" src="https://img.shields.io/npm/dm/react-native-gifted-chat.svg"/></a>
   <a href="https://www.npmjs.com/package/react-native-gifted-chat"><img alt="npm version" src="https://badge.fury.io/js/react-native-gifted-chat.svg"/></a>
   <a href="https://greenkeeper.io/"><img src="https://badges.greenkeeper.io/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat.svg" alt="build"></a>
    <a href="https://reactnative.gallery/FaridSafi/gifted-chat"><img src="https://img.shields.io/badge/reactnative.gallery-%F0%9F%8E%AC-green.svg"/></a>
 
-
 </p>
 <p align="center">
   <a href="https://circleci.com/gh/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat"><img src="https://circleci.com/gh/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat.svg?style=shield" alt="build"></a>
@@ -47,33 +46,33 @@
 
 ## Features
 
-* Fully customizable components
-* Composer actions (to attach photos, etc.)
-* Load earlier messages
-* Copy messages to clipboard
-* Touchable links using [react-native-parsed-text](https://github.com/taskrabbit/react-native-parsed-text)
-* Avatar as user's initials
-* Localized dates
-* Multiline TextInput
-* InputToolbar avoiding keyboard
-* Redux support
-* System message
+- Fully customizable components
+- Composer actions (to attach photos, etc.)
+- Load earlier messages
+- Copy messages to clipboard
+- Touchable links using [react-native-parsed-text](https://github.com/taskrabbit/react-native-parsed-text)
+- Avatar as user's initials
+- Localized dates
+- Multi-line TextInput
+- InputToolbar avoiding keyboard
+- Redux support
+- System message
 
 ## Dependency
 
-* Use version `0.2.x` for RN `>= 0.44.0`
-* Use version `0.1.x` for RN `>= 0.40.0`
-* Use version `0.0.10` for RN `< 0.40.0`
+- Use version `0.2.x` for RN `>= 0.44.0`
+- Use version `0.1.x` for RN `>= 0.40.0`
+- Use version `0.0.10` for RN `< 0.40.0`
 
 ## Installation
 
-* Using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/#getting-started): `npm install react-native-gifted-chat --save`
-* Using [Yarn](https://yarnpkg.com/): `yarn add react-native-gifted-chat`
+- Using [npm](https://www.npmjs.com/#getting-started): `npm install react-native-gifted-chat --save`
+- Using [Yarn](https://yarnpkg.com/): `yarn add react-native-gifted-chat`
 
 ## Example
 
 ```jsx
-import React from 'react';
+import React from 'react'
 import { GiftedChat } from 'react-native-gifted-chat'
 
 class Example extends React.Component {
@@ -159,58 +158,58 @@ e.g. System Message
 
 ## Props
 
-* **`messages`** _(Array)_ - Messages to display
-* **`text`** _(String)_ - Input text; default is `undefined`, but if specified, it will override GiftedChat's internal state (e.g. for redux; [see notes below](#notes-for-redux))
-* **`placeholder`** _(String)_ - Placeholder when `text` is empty; default is `'Type a message...'`
-* **`messageIdGenerator`** _(Function)_ - Generate an id for new messages. Defaults to UUID v4, generated by [uuid](https://github.com/kelektiv/node-uuid)
-* **`user`** _(Object)_ - User sending the messages: `{ _id, name, avatar }`
-* **`onSend`** _(Function)_ - Callback when sending a message
-* **`locale`** _(String)_ - Locale to localize the dates
-* **`timeFormat`** _(String)_ - Format to use for rendering times; default is `'LT'`
-* **`dateFormat`** _(String)_ - Format to use for rendering dates; default is `'ll'`
-* **`isAnimated`** _(Bool)_ - Animates the view when the keyboard appears
-* **`loadEarlier`** _(Bool)_ - Enables the "Load earlier messages" button
-* **`onLoadEarlier`** _(Function)_ - Callback when loading earlier messages
-* **`isLoadingEarlier`** _(Bool)_ - Display an `ActivityIndicator` when loading earlier messages
-* **`renderLoading`** _(Function)_ - Render a loading view when initializing
-* **`renderLoadEarlier`** _(Function)_ - Custom "Load earlier messages" button
-* **`renderAvatar`** _(Function)_ - Custom message avatar; set to `null` to not render any avatar for the message
-* **`showUserAvatar`** _(Bool)_ - Whether to render an avatar for the current user; default is `false`, only show avatars for other users
-* **`showAvatarForEveryMessage`** _(Bool)_ - When false, avatars will only be displayed when a consecutive message is from the same user on the same day; default is `false`
-* **`onPressAvatar`** _(Function(`user`))_ - Callback when a message avatar is tapped
-* **`renderAvatarOnTop`** _(Bool)_ - Render the message avatar at the top of consecutive messages, rather than the bottom; default is `false`
-* **`renderBubble`** _(Function)_ - Custom message bubble
-* **`renderSystemMessage`** _(Function)_ - Custom system message
-* **`onLongPress`** _(Function(`context`, `message`))_ - Callback when a message bubble is long-pressed; default is to show an ActionSheet with "Copy Text" (see [example using `showActionSheetWithOptions()`](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/blob/master@%7B2017-09-25%7D/src/Bubble.js#L96-L119))
-* **`inverted`** _(Bool)_ - Reverses display order of `messages`; default is `true`
-* **`renderMessage`** _(Function)_ - Custom message container
-* **`renderMessageText`** _(Function)_ - Custom message text
-* **`renderMessageImage`** _(Function)_ - Custom message image
-* **`imageProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<Image>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/image.html) component created by the default `renderMessageImage`
-* **`videoProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<Video>`](https://github.com/react-native-community/react-native-video) component created by the default `renderMessageVideo`
-* **`lightboxProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the `MessageImage`'s [Lightbox](https://github.com/oblador/react-native-lightbox)
-* **`renderCustomView`** _(Function)_ - Custom view inside the bubble
-* **`renderDay`** _(Function)_ - Custom day above a message
-* **`renderTime`** _(Function)_ - Custom time inside a message
-* **`renderFooter`** _(Function)_ - Custom footer component on the ListView, e.g. `'User is typing...'`; see [example/App.js](example/App.js) for an example
-* **`renderChatFooter`** _(Function)_ - Custom component to render below the MessageContainer (separate from the ListView)
-* **`renderInputToolbar`** _(Function)_ - Custom message composer container
-* **`renderComposer`** _(Function)_ - Custom text input message composer
-* **`renderActions`** _(Function)_ - Custom action button on the left of the message composer
-* **`renderSend`** _(Function)_ - Custom send button; you can pass children to the original `Send` component quite easily, for example to use a custom icon ([example](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/pull/487))
-* **`renderAccessory`** _(Function)_ - Custom second line of actions below the message composer
-* **`onPressActionButton`** _(Function)_ - Callback when the Action button is pressed (if set, the default `actionSheet` will not be used)
-* **`bottomOffset`** _(Integer)_ - Distance of the chat from the bottom of the screen (e.g. useful if you display a tab bar)
-* **`minInputToolbarHeight`** _(Integer)_ - Minimum height of the input toolbar; default is `44`
-* **`listViewProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the messages [`<ListView>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/listview.html); some props can't be overridden, see the code in `MessageContainer.render()` for details
-* **`textInputProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<TextInput>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/textinput.html)
-* **`keyboardShouldPersistTaps`** _(Enum)_ - Determines whether the keyboard should stay visible after a tap; see [`<ScrollView>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/scrollview.html) docs
-* **`onInputTextChanged`** _(Function)_ - Callback when the input text changes
-* **`maxInputLength`** _(Integer)_ - Max message composer TextInput length
-* **`parsePatterns`** _(Function)_ - Custom parse patterns for [react-native-parsed-text](https://github.com/taskrabbit/react-native-parsed-text) used to linkify message content (like URLs and phone numbers), e.g.:
-* **`extraData`** _(Object)_ - Extra props for re-rendering flatlist on demand. This will be useful for rendering footer etc.
-* **`minComposerHeight`** _(Object)_ - Custom min height of the composer.
-* **`maxComposerHeight`** _(Object)_ - Custom max height of the composer.
+- **`messages`** _(Array)_ - Messages to display
+- **`text`** _(String)_ - Input text; default is `undefined`, but if specified, it will override GiftedChat's internal state (e.g. for redux; [see notes below](#notes-for-redux))
+- **`placeholder`** _(String)_ - Placeholder when `text` is empty; default is `'Type a message...'`
+- **`messageIdGenerator`** _(Function)_ - Generate an id for new messages. Defaults to UUID v4, generated by [uuid](https://github.com/kelektiv/node-uuid)
+- **`user`** _(Object)_ - User sending the messages: `{ _id, name, avatar }`
+- **`onSend`** _(Function)_ - Callback when sending a message
+- **`locale`** _(String)_ - Locale to localize the dates
+- **`timeFormat`** _(String)_ - Format to use for rendering times; default is `'LT'`
+- **`dateFormat`** _(String)_ - Format to use for rendering dates; default is `'ll'`
+- **`isAnimated`** _(Bool)_ - Animates the view when the keyboard appears
+- **`loadEarlier`** _(Bool)_ - Enables the "Load earlier messages" button
+- **`onLoadEarlier`** _(Function)_ - Callback when loading earlier messages
+- **`isLoadingEarlier`** _(Bool)_ - Display an `ActivityIndicator` when loading earlier messages
+- **`renderLoading`** _(Function)_ - Render a loading view when initializing
+- **`renderLoadEarlier`** _(Function)_ - Custom "Load earlier messages" button
+- **`renderAvatar`** _(Function)_ - Custom message avatar; set to `null` to not render any avatar for the message
+- **`showUserAvatar`** _(Bool)_ - Whether to render an avatar for the current user; default is `false`, only show avatars for other users
+- **`showAvatarForEveryMessage`** _(Bool)_ - When false, avatars will only be displayed when a consecutive message is from the same user on the same day; default is `false`
+- **`onPressAvatar`** _(Function(`user`))_ - Callback when a message avatar is tapped
+- **`renderAvatarOnTop`** _(Bool)_ - Render the message avatar at the top of consecutive messages, rather than the bottom; default is `false`
+- **`renderBubble`** _(Function)_ - Custom message bubble
+- **`renderSystemMessage`** _(Function)_ - Custom system message
+- **`onLongPress`** _(Function(`context`, `message`))_ - Callback when a message bubble is long-pressed; default is to show an ActionSheet with "Copy Text" (see [example using `showActionSheetWithOptions()`](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/blob/master@%7B2017-09-25%7D/src/Bubble.js#L96-L119))
+- **`inverted`** _(Bool)_ - Reverses display order of `messages`; default is `true`
+- **`renderMessage`** _(Function)_ - Custom message container
+- **`renderMessageText`** _(Function)_ - Custom message text
+- **`renderMessageImage`** _(Function)_ - Custom message image
+- **`imageProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<Image>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/image.html) component created by the default `renderMessageImage`
+- **`videoProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<Video>`](https://github.com/react-native-community/react-native-video) component created by the default `renderMessageVideo`
+- **`lightboxProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the `MessageImage`'s [Lightbox](https://github.com/oblador/react-native-lightbox)
+- **`renderCustomView`** _(Function)_ - Custom view inside the bubble
+- **`renderDay`** _(Function)_ - Custom day above a message
+- **`renderTime`** _(Function)_ - Custom time inside a message
+- **`renderFooter`** _(Function)_ - Custom footer component on the ListView, e.g. `'User is typing...'`; see [example/App.js](example/App.js) for an example
+- **`renderChatFooter`** _(Function)_ - Custom component to render below the MessageContainer (separate from the ListView)
+- **`renderInputToolbar`** _(Function)_ - Custom message composer container
+- **`renderComposer`** _(Function)_ - Custom text input message composer
+- **`renderActions`** _(Function)_ - Custom action button on the left of the message composer
+- **`renderSend`** _(Function)_ - Custom send button; you can pass children to the original `Send` component quite easily, for example to use a custom icon ([example](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/pull/487))
+- **`renderAccessory`** _(Function)_ - Custom second line of actions below the message composer
+- **`onPressActionButton`** _(Function)_ - Callback when the Action button is pressed (if set, the default `actionSheet` will not be used)
+- **`bottomOffset`** _(Integer)_ - Distance of the chat from the bottom of the screen (e.g. useful if you display a tab bar)
+- **`minInputToolbarHeight`** _(Integer)_ - Minimum height of the input toolbar; default is `44`
+- **`listViewProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the messages [`<ListView>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/listview.html); some props can't be overridden, see the code in `MessageContainer.render()` for details
+- **`textInputProps`** _(Object)_ - Extra props to be passed to the [`<TextInput>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/textinput.html)
+- **`keyboardShouldPersistTaps`** _(Enum)_ - Determines whether the keyboard should stay visible after a tap; see [`<ScrollView>`](https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/scrollview.html) docs
+- **`onInputTextChanged`** _(Function)_ - Callback when the input text changes
+- **`maxInputLength`** _(Integer)_ - Max message composer TextInput length
+- **`parsePatterns`** _(Function)_ - Custom parse patterns for [react-native-parsed-text](https://github.com/taskrabbit/react-native-parsed-text) used to linkify message content (like URLs and phone numbers), e.g.:
+- **`extraData`** _(Object)_ - Extra props for re-rendering FlatList on demand. This will be useful for rendering footer etc.
+- **`minComposerHeight`** _(Object)_ - Custom min height of the composer.
+- **`maxComposerHeight`** _(Object)_ - Custom max height of the composer.
 
   ```js
   <GiftedChat
@@ -223,7 +222,7 @@ e.g. System Message
 
 ## Imperative methods
 
-* `focusTextInput()` - Open the keyboard and focus the text input box
+- `focusTextInput()` - Open the keyboard and focus the text input box
 
 ## Notes for [Redux](https://github.com/reactjs/redux)
 
@@ -245,7 +244,7 @@ simply implement `onInputTextChanged` to receive typing events and reset events
 
 If you are using Create React Native App / Expo, no Android specific installation steps are required -- you can skip this section. Otherwise we recommend modifying your project configuration as follows.
 
-* Make sure you have `android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"` in your `AndroidManifest.xml`:
+- Make sure you have `android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"` in your `AndroidManifest.xml`:
 
   ```xml
   <activity
@@ -254,11 +253,14 @@ If you are using Create React Native App / Expo, no Android specific installatio
     android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"
     android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenSize">
   ```
-* For **Expo**, there are almost 2 solutions to fix it:
-  * adding KeyboardAvoidingView after GiftedChat [see this comment](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/461#issuecomment-314858092)
-  * adding an opaque background status bar on app.json https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/configuration.html#androidstatusbar
 
-* If you plan to use `GiftedChat` inside a `Modal`, see [#200](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/200).
+- For **Expo**, there are almost 2 solutions to fix it:
+
+  - adding KeyboardAvoidingView after GiftedChat [see this comment](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/461#issuecomment-314858092)
+  - adding an opaque background status bar on app.json https://docs.expo.io/versions/latest/guides/configuration.html#androidstatusbar
+
+- If you plan to use `GiftedChat` inside a `Modal`, see [#200](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/200).
+
 ## Notes for local development
 
 You can use [`wml`](https://github.com/wix/wml) to keep the example app in sync
@@ -275,19 +277,19 @@ If you have any issues, you can clear your watches using `watchman watch-del-all
 
 ## Questions
 
-* [How can I set Bubble color for each user?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/672)
-* [How can I pass style props to InputToolbar design and customize it's color and other styles properties?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/662)
-* [How can I change the color of the message box?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/640)
-* [Is there a way to manually dismiss the keyboard?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/647)
-* [I want to implement a popover that pops right after clicking on a specific avatar,
+- [How can I set Bubble color for each user?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/672)
+- [How can I pass style props to InputToolbar design and customize it's color and other styles properties?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/662)
+- [How can I change the color of the message box?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/640)
+- [Is there a way to manually dismiss the keyboard?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/647)
+- [I want to implement a popover that pops right after clicking on a specific avatar,
   what is the best implementation in this case and how?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/660)
-* [Why Textinput is hidden on Android?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/680#issuecomment-359699364)
-* [How to use renderLoading?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/298)
-* [Can I use MySql to save the message?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/738)
+- [Why TextInput is hidden on Android?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/680#issuecomment-359699364)
+- [How to use renderLoading?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/298)
+- [Can I use MySql to save the message?](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/issues/738)
 
 ## License
 
-* [MIT](LICENSE)
+- [MIT](LICENSE)
 
 ## Author
 
@@ -295,10 +297,10 @@ Feel free to ask me questions on Twitter [@FaridSafi](https://www.twitter.com/Fa
 
 ## Contributors
 
-* Kevin Cooper [cooperka](https://github.com/cooperka)
-* Kfir Golan [kfiroo](https://github.com/kfiroo)
-* Bruno Cascio [brunocascio](https://github.com/brunocascio)
-* Xavier Carpentier [xcarpentier](https://github.com/xcarpentier)
-* [more](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/graphs/contributors)
+- Kevin Cooper [cooperka](https://github.com/cooperka)
+- Kfir Golan [kfiroo](https://github.com/kfiroo)
+- Bruno Cascio [brunocascio](https://github.com/brunocascio)
+- Xavier Carpentier [xcarpentier](https://github.com/xcarpentier)
+- [more](https://github.com/FaridSafi/react-native-gifted-chat/graphs/contributors)
 
 <img src="https://api.keen.io/3.0/projects/5ae31b61c9e77c0001cc2093/events/pageviews?api_key=55301C3E5BAB217E90A5867113C02506CE20385CD6F4C9C1CCDD4671B1A9DE374C3DF9DEF70C0BB3F5A9C5CA4CB1CCCFAF25FC3ED9CF63FB83102456A6881EFBAECD1C7D9718EE5402752DD8F6FA2DEC4D844BCB17FE6262570DB447D9A8CED2&data=eyJ0aXRsZSI6ICJnYyJ9" />
diff --git a/src/Avatar.js b/src/Avatar.js
index c34fdafce..ad4dfc905 100644
--- a/src/Avatar.js
+++ b/src/Avatar.js
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ const styles = {
   }),
 };
 
-export default class Avatar extends React.PureComponent {
+export default class Avatar extends React.Component {
 
   renderAvatar() {
     if (this.props.renderAvatar) {
diff --git a/src/Bubble.js b/src/Bubble.js
index bfbe8f135..995023ce8 100644
--- a/src/Bubble.js
+++ b/src/Bubble.js
@@ -6,20 +6,16 @@ import { Text, Clipboard, StyleSheet, TouchableWithoutFeedback, View, ViewPropTy
 
 import MessageText from './MessageText';
 import MessageImage from './MessageImage';
+import MessageVideo from './MessageVideo';
+
 import Time from './Time';
 import Color from './Color';
 
 import { isSameUser, isSameDay } from './utils';
-import MessageVideo from './MessageVideo';
 
-export default class Bubble extends React.PureComponent {
+export default class Bubble extends React.Component {
 
-  constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-    this.onLongPress = this.onLongPress.bind(this);
-  }
-
-  onLongPress() {
+  onLongPress = () => {
     if (this.props.onLongPress) {
       this.props.onLongPress(this.context, this.props.currentMessage);
     } else if (this.props.currentMessage.text) {
@@ -41,7 +37,7 @@ export default class Bubble extends React.PureComponent {
         },
       );
     }
-  }
+  };
 
   handleBubbleToNext() {
     if (
@@ -141,9 +137,7 @@ export default class Bubble extends React.PureComponent {
       }
       return (
         <View style={styles.usernameView}>
-          <Text style={[styles.username, this.props.usernameStyle]}>
-            ~ {currentMessage.user.name}
-          </Text>
+          <Text style={[styles.username, this.props.usernameStyle]}>~ {currentMessage.user.name}</Text>
         </View>
       );
     }
diff --git a/src/GiftedAvatar.js b/src/GiftedAvatar.js
index 634bf759e..ec5b1381e 100644
--- a/src/GiftedAvatar.js
+++ b/src/GiftedAvatar.js
@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ import { Image, Text, TouchableOpacity, View } from 'react-native';
 import Color from './Color';
 
 const { carrot, emerald, peterRiver, wisteria, alizarin, turquoise, midnightBlue } = Color;
-// TODO
-// 3 words name initials
-// handle only alpha numeric chars
 
-export default class GiftedAvatar extends React.PureComponent {
+export default class GiftedAvatar extends React.Component {
   setAvatarColor() {
     const userName = this.props.user.name || '';
     const name = userName.toUpperCase().split(' ');
@@ -38,19 +35,9 @@ export default class GiftedAvatar extends React.PureComponent {
     if (typeof this.props.user.avatar === 'function') {
       return this.props.user.avatar();
     } else if (typeof this.props.user.avatar === 'string') {
-      return (
-        <Image
-          source={{ uri: this.props.user.avatar }}
-          style={[styles.avatarStyle, this.props.avatarStyle]}
-        />
-      );
+      return <Image source={{ uri: this.props.user.avatar }} style={[styles.avatarStyle, this.props.avatarStyle]} />;
     } else if (typeof this.props.user.avatar === 'number') {
-      return (
-        <Image
-          source={this.props.user.avatar}
-          style={[styles.avatarStyle, this.props.avatarStyle]}
-        />
-      );
+      return <Image source={this.props.user.avatar} style={[styles.avatarStyle, this.props.avatarStyle]} />;
     }
     return null;
   }
diff --git a/src/Message.js b/src/Message.js
index 1ea473e92..8ddd95809 100644
--- a/src/Message.js
+++ b/src/Message.js
@@ -32,16 +32,30 @@ const styles = {
   }),
 };
 
-export default class Message extends React.PureComponent {
+export default class Message extends React.Component {
 
-  getInnerComponentProps() {
+  shouldComponentUpdate(nextProps) {
+    const next = nextProps.currentMessage;
+    const current = this.props.currentMessage;
+    return (
+      next.send !== current.send ||
+      next.received !== current.received ||
+      next.pending !== current.pending ||
+      next.createdAt !== current.createdAt ||
+      next.text !== current.text ||
+      next.image !== current.image ||
+      next.video !== current.video
+    );
+  }
+
+  getInnerComponentProps = () => {
     const { containerStyle, ...props } = this.props;
     return {
       ...props,
       isSameUser,
       isSameDay,
     };
-  }
+  };
 
   renderDay() {
     if (this.props.currentMessage.createdAt) {
diff --git a/src/MessageContainer.js b/src/MessageContainer.js
index 00ecca6a1..bb11ccb59 100644
--- a/src/MessageContainer.js
+++ b/src/MessageContainer.js
@@ -15,46 +15,47 @@ import { FlatList, View, StyleSheet, Keyboard } from 'react-native';
 import LoadEarlier from './LoadEarlier';
 import Message from './Message';
 
-export default class MessageContainer extends React.PureComponent {
+export default class MessageContainer extends React.Component {
 
-  constructor(props) {
-    super(props);
-
-    this.renderRow = this.renderRow.bind(this);
-    this.renderFooter = this.renderFooter.bind(this);
-    this.renderLoadEarlier = this.renderLoadEarlier.bind(this);
-    this.renderHeaderWrapper = this.renderHeaderWrapper.bind(this);
-    this.attachKeyboardListeners = this.attachKeyboardListeners.bind(this);
-    this.detatchKeyboardListeners = this.detatchKeyboardListeners.bind(this);
-
-    if (props.messages.length === 0) {
-      this.attachKeyboardListeners(props);
+  componentDidMount() {
+    if (this.props.messages.length === 0) {
+      this.attachKeyboardListeners();
     }
   }
 
+  shouldComponentUpdate(nextProps) {
+    const next = nextProps.messages;
+    const current = this.props.messages;
+    return (
+      next.length !== current.length || next.extraData !== current.extraData || next.loadEarlier !== current.loadEarlier
+    );
+  }
+
   componentWillReceiveProps(nextProps) {
     if (this.props.messages.length === 0 && nextProps.messages.length > 0) {
-      this.detatchKeyboardListeners();
+      this.detachKeyboardListeners();
     } else if (this.props.messages.length > 0 && nextProps.messages.length === 0) {
       this.attachKeyboardListeners(nextProps);
     }
   }
 
-  attachKeyboardListeners(props) {
-    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardWillShow', props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardWillShow);
-    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardDidShow', props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardDidShow);
-    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardWillHide', props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardWillHide);
-    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardDidHide', props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardDidHide);
-  }
-
-  detatchKeyboardListeners() {
-    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardWillShow', this.props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardWillShow);
-    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardDidShow', this.props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardDidShow);
-    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardWillHide', this.props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardWillHide);
-    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardDidHide', this.props.invertibleScrollViewProps.onKeyboardDidHide);
-  }
-
-  renderFooter() {
+  attachKeyboardListeners = () => {
+    const { invertibleScrollViewProps: invertibleProps } = this.props;
+    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardWillShow', invertibleProps.onKeyboardWillShow);
+    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardDidShow', invertibleProps.onKeyboardDidShow);
+    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardWillHide', invertibleProps.onKeyboardWillHide);
+    Keyboard.addListener('keyboardDidHide', invertibleProps.onKeyboardDidHide);
+  };
+
+  detachKeyboardListeners = () => {
+    const { invertibleScrollViewProps: invertibleProps } = this.props;
+    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardWillShow', invertibleProps.onKeyboardWillShow);
+    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardDidShow', invertibleProps.onKeyboardDidShow);
+    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardWillHide', invertibleProps.onKeyboardWillHide);
+    Keyboard.removeListener('keyboardDidHide', invertibleProps.onKeyboardDidHide);
+  };
+
+  renderFooter = () => {
     if (this.props.renderFooter) {
       const footerProps = {
         ...this.props,
@@ -62,9 +63,9 @@ export default class MessageContainer extends React.PureComponent {
       return this.props.renderFooter(footerProps);
     }
     return null;
-  }
+  };
 
-  renderLoadEarlier() {
+  renderLoadEarlier = () => {
     if (this.props.loadEarlier === true) {
       const loadEarlierProps = {
         ...this.props,
@@ -75,15 +76,15 @@ export default class MessageContainer extends React.PureComponent {
       return <LoadEarlier {...loadEarlierProps} />;
     }
     return null;
-  }
+  };
 
   scrollTo(options) {
-    if (this.flatListRef) {
+    if (this.flatListRef && options) {
       this.flatListRef.scrollToOffset(options);
     }
   }
 
-  renderRow({ item, index }) {
+  renderRow = ({ item, index }) => {
     if (!item._id && item._id !== 0) {
       console.warn('GiftedChat: `_id` is missing for message', JSON.stringify(item));
     }
@@ -110,13 +111,11 @@ export default class MessageContainer extends React.PureComponent {
       return this.props.renderMessage(messageProps);
     }
     return <Message {...messageProps} />;
-  }
+  };
 
-  renderHeaderWrapper() {
-    return <View style={styles.headerWrapper}>{this.renderLoadEarlier()}</View>;
-  }
+  renderHeaderWrapper = () => <View style={styles.headerWrapper}>{this.renderLoadEarlier()}</View>;
 
-  keyExtractor = (item) => `${item._id}`
+  keyExtractor = (item) => `${item._id}`;
 
   render() {
     if (this.props.messages.length === 0) {
@@ -184,6 +183,6 @@ MessageContainer.propTypes = {
   listViewProps: PropTypes.object,
   inverted: PropTypes.bool,
   loadEarlier: PropTypes.bool,
-  invertibleScrollViewProps: PropTypes.object, // TODO: support or not?
+  invertibleScrollViewProps: PropTypes.object,
   extraData: PropTypes.object,
 };