Heartwarming app named 'Are You Dead' tops the charts in China and we could all learn from it
Published on Feb 09, 2026 at 12:14 PM (UTC-5)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Feb 10, 2026 at 5:43 AM (UTC-5)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
There’s a new app in China with a strange name but a noble objective.
It is called ‘Are You Dead’, and it’s designed for people who live alone.
The idea is to provide help to people who might need it, in a way that seems obvious but isn’t.
And it’s surprisingly simple to use.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
This is how it works
The app was launched in the Spring of last year, and it requires the user to check in every two days by pressing a large on-screen button to confirm they are alive and well.
If they don’t, the app will automatically alert a chosen emergency contact.
The name of the application roughly translates to ‘Are You Dead?’ or ‘Dead Yet?’.
The name is a bit grim, but at least you know exactly what it’s for.
And despite the harsh name, it is also designed to alert loved ones in case there’s another problem that doesn’t necessarily involve the Grim Reaper.
It is designed for people who live alone, because if they fell ill or had an accident at home, they could have a problem letting their loved ones know.
This is becoming a huge potential problem in China because projections show that the country could have up to 200 million one-person households by 2030.
There’s an app for everything
The first iPhone didn’t actually have an App Store.
Then, the introduction of the App Store (and Play Store from Android) opened the floodgates, and now there’s phone-based software for virtually everything.
Some are useful – like navigation tools, for example – and some are simply made for fun.
A great example of the latter category is ‘iBeer’.
It was created pretty much out of sheer boredom, but it made its creator a millionaire.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
