An app with a stark name and a simple premise 'Are You Dead?', has surged to the top of China’s App Store, becoming the most downloaded paid iPhone app in the country. The app, which quietly launched in May last year, has also climbed paid app charts in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong and India, reflecting a growing demand for personal safety tools among people living alone.
According to a BBC report, the app’s rise is linked to increasing “safety anxiety” among China’s expanding population of solo dwellers, a group experts estimate could reach 200 million by 2030. The app describes itself as a “safety companion” for people who live or work alone, including students, office workers and those who choose a solitary lifestyle.
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How the ‘Are You Dead?’ app works
Unlike most utility apps, Are You Dead? does not require users to sign up or share personal data. Users only need to add an emergency contact.
The app prompts users to check in once every two days to confirm they are safe. If a user fails to do so, the app automatically alerts the designated emergency contact, warning that the user may be in trouble.
The name itself is a wordplay. In Chinese, “Si-le-ma” (Are you dead?) sounds similar to “E-le-ma,” the popular food delivery app called 'Are You Hungry?' adding a layer of dark humour that appears to have helped the app go viral.
Global uptake beyond China
The app is available under the name Demumu in India. As per the BBC report, it currently ranks among the top two paid utility apps in the US, Singapore and Hong Kong, and within the top four in Australia and Spain.
In India, Are You Dead? has become the second most downloaded paid app on the App Store.
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The app is priced at 8 yuan in China and ₹99 in India. App Store listings identify Moonscape Technologies Inc. as its developer, though little information is publicly available about the founders.
A reflection of changing urban lives
Experts say the app’s popularity shows shifting social patterns, particularly in large cities where people mostly live alone and seek low-friction ways to ensure someone will notice if something goes wrong.
With its minimalist design, Are You Dead? appears to have addressed into a widespread concern which is staying safe without constant monitoring or intrusive technology.
