Demumu, the app marketed as “Are You Dead?”, has surged to the top of China’s App Store. Priced at 8 yuan, it asks solitary users to tap a bright green “Check in today” button each day. Failure to do so triggers an automatic alert to a pre‑selected emergency contact, offering families a low‑cost safety net.

The service launched in May 2025 amid rapid growth in one‑person households; analysts expect roughly 200 million such homes by 2030, according to China’s Global Times. Loneliness and limited mobility have already spawned a market for medical alert devices, but Demumu’s smartphone‑only approach sidesteps the stigma of wearable alarms. Apple already bundles emergency tools like Fall Detection and travel‑oriented location sharing, yet iOS lacks a dedicated daily check‑in feature.

Demumu fills that gap, appealing to introverts, those coping with depression, and an aging population that now exceeds one‑fifth of the nation. Developers hint at a senior‑focused version, suggesting the concept could expand beyond its tongue‑in‑cheek name to become a mainstream personal‑safety service.