'Are you dead?' Chinese app for single living goes viral

An app called "Are you dead" targeted at people living alone has gone viral in China, with surging downloads and widespread commentary on social media, prompting the company to introduce a subscription fee and change its name for a global audience.

The app, called Sileme in Chinese, which translates to "Are you dead?" in English, is "a lightweight safety tool created for solo dwellers" from students, to solo officer workers or "anyone choosing a solitary lifestyle", says its development team.

The app requires setting up one emergency contact and sends automatic notifications if the user has not checked in via the app for consecutive days.

China may have up to 200 million one-person households, with a solo living rate exceeding 30%, state newspaper the Global Times said.

Sileme said on its official Weibo on Tuesday that the company will launch the global brand name Demumu in its new version to be released soon.