Solo Living Safety App Goes Viral, Rebrands as Demumu for Global Users
- tech360.tv
- Jan 15
- 2 min read
An app named "Are you dead?" has garnered significant attention in China, experiencing a surge in downloads and widespread social media discussion. Designed as a "lightweight safety tool" for people living alone, the organisation has introduced a subscription fee and changed its name for a global audience.
The app, known as Sileme in Chinese, requires users to set up one emergency contact. It automatically sends notifications if the user does not check in via the app for consecutive days, targeting students, solo office workers, and anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle.
China may have up to 200 million one-person households, with a solo living rate exceeding 30%. This demographic context underscores the potential market and utility for such a safety application.
Sileme announced on its official Weibo account that it would launch a new version under the global brand name Demumu. This new name is already visible on Apple's paid app chart, where it holds the number two position after previously topping the chart.
To help cover increasing costs, Sileme implemented an eight yuan (USD 1.15) payment scheme. Separately, Demumu on Apple's App Store was already charging HKD 8 for downloads.
The app's development team described themselves as an "unknown small team," co-founded and independently operated by three individuals born after 1995. Their rapid success highlights the app's resonance with its target audience.
Netizens on social media platforms, including Weibo, expressed varied opinions regarding the name change. Many called for Sileme not to alter its original name.
Some users suggested alternative names such as "Are you alive," "Are you online," or "Are you there." One user commented that while "conservative people can't accept it," the app is helpful for safety and "will make us unmarried people feel more at ease to spend our lives."
A solo living safety app, originally "Are you dead?" (Sileme), has become highly popular in China.
The app sends automatic notifications to an emergency contact if a user does not check in for consecutive days.
The organisation is rebranding to Demumu for its global release and has introduced subscription fees.
Source: REUTERS
