Hot on the heels of its official launch of OS X Mountain Lion, Apple has also updated its own web browser for Lion users. Safari 6 for Lion includes some of the improvements found in the browser shipped with Mountain Lion, while missing out on others.

Key improvements found in Safari 6 for Lion include a unified search and Address bar, bringing Safari into line with rival browsers. It also sees the introduction of an Offline Reading List, Do Not Track privacy feature and new password pane.

Safari 6 for Lion’s major new feature is the removal of the separate Address bar and Search fields. In their place is a single bar that can be used either to enter web addresses directly or to perform searches using the default search engine – this brings the browser in line with rivals such as Firefox and Chrome.

The Lion version of Safari 6 won't be as fully featured as the Mountain Lion version on show here

Safari 6 also adds an Offline Reading List option, which means any web pages stored here are automatically downloaded to the computer for reading while not connected to the internet. The app also implements the Do Not Track privacy feature, which allows users to request websites do not track them online. This feature is another that has already been implemented in Firefox.

A brand new password pane makes it easier for users to manage existing saved logins, while Chinese users get access to the leading Baidu search engine.

Safari 6 for Lion also includes a number of fixes and stability improvements, most notably the ability to use the swipe-to-navigate gesture with PDF files, plus restoration of both the Reading List when Safari s launched, and the user’s previous cookies after Private Browsing.

Finally, the browser update also promises to deliver performance enhancements through use of multi-core processors and a new approach to CSS rendering.

Not all of the features found in the Mountain Lion build of Safari 6 have made their way across to Lion users, however – notable absentees include the new pinch-based Tab View feature, iCloud tabs for switching between iOS devices and Mac, and built-in sharing options.

Apple Safari 6 for Lion is a free download for Mac OS X users running Lion. Version 6 is included as standard in the new Mountain Lion release.