Does Apple Podcasts Host My Podcast’s Episodes?

No, Apple Podcasts does not host your episodes. Here's a simplified explanation of the process:

1. You submit your podcast to Apple Podcasts Connect.
2. Apple Podcasts approves it, and listeners subscribe to your podcast.
3. Their podcast app subscribes directly to your RSS feed (hosted by Fireside), not Apple's service.

This means that even if a new episode takes time to appear on Apple Podcasts, subscribers still get your latest episodes because it's directly polling your Fireside RSS feed.