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9h ago

China’s ‘Are You Dead?’ Check-In App Tops Paid iPhone Charts as Developers Weigh Name Change

Its rise underscores growing anxiety about solo living in China.

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Eine App für Alleinlebende mit dem provokanten Namen "Bist du tot?" erfreut sich in China großer Beliebtheit. Die App, die Alarm schlägt, wenn sich eine Nutzerin oder ein Nutzer 48 Stunden nicht meldet, war am Dienstag eine der beliebtesten kostenpflichtigen Apps in chinesischen App-Stores.
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Overview

  • The iOS app asks users to check in by pressing a button, and after 48 hours of inactivity it emails a pre‑listed contact.
  • It has led China’s paid App Store since Sunday and sells for about 8 yuan, following a download surge in early January.
  • Listed internationally as Demumu, it has entered charts in the United States, Singapore, Hong Kong, Spain, Australia and Germany, where it ranks among top paid utilities.
  • The developers say they are seriously considering a new name and plan to add SMS alerts, in‑app messaging and better accessibility for older users.
  • Its popularity has fueled discussion about loneliness and the risks of living alone, with data showing roughly one in five Chinese households were single‑person in 2024 and projections reaching up to 200 million by 2030.