To send emoticons (emoji), you need to have BlackBerry Operating System (OS) version 5.0 or higher installed on your device.
To find out your BlackBerry OS version, go to the BlackBerry home screen, open Options > Device > About Device Versions.
If your BlackBerry OS version is 4.6 or 4.7, your OS can be upgraded to version 5.0. Please visit the BlackBerry website on your computer to download the updated OS for your phone. Use BlackBerry Desktop Software to install the new OS.
If you are having difficulty updating using your computer, or you do not have a computer, please visit your service provider to see if they can help you perform the update.
Cheers,
WhatsApp Support Team