Two Dutch claim organisations are starting a legal case against Apple for deliberately slowing the operating systems for the iPhone 6, 7 and first generation SE iPhones.

The models were released between 2016 and 2018 and ConsumentenClaim says, Apple provided users with software updates that reduced performance and concealed an underlying battery defect.

“This means the iPhones were slower and did not work as they should. And Apple users were not told,” the foundation said, which is working with a second claim group, Stichting Aequitas Belangenbehartiging, on the case.

Many people found themselves having to replace their battery or buy a new phone, the foundation said. It wants Apple to pay owners compensation of up to €100 per phone, or more if they bought a new one.

Two similar cases against Apple in the US resulted in a payout averaging €86 per user, or a total of €572 million. Consumers there alleged Apple manipulated the phones to encourage consumers to buy new ones. 

In France, the company has been fined €25 million for the same defect and cases are also under way in other EU countries and Britain. 

Apple has previously called claims”baseless” and said would never intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or “degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades”.